Caring for an older dog can be tricky. As dogs age, they often develop specific dietary needs you need to cater for to keep them fit and healthy. Consequently, you may need to change the pet food as the dog gets older.
Before you do that, you need to know which dog foods work best senior dogs. Whatever you choose must have the right mix of vitamins and minerals, as well as taste great. Let’s take a look at three of the best canned dog foods currently on the market, so you can choose the one that works best for your faithful senior companion.
NUTRO ULTRA Wet Dog Food
Nutro Ultra brings together the very best of several ingredients to ensure your dog gets everything it needs from its food. Each can contains protein drawn from salmon, lamb, and chicken, which helps keep your dog’s muscles strong. The cans also contain several other quality ingredients, which regulate amino acid levels and combine into a great-tasting dog food your dog will love.
So where do these ingredients come from? Nutro blends together 14 superfoods that are packed with the vitamins and minerals a senior dog needs. Beyond that, the company has added chondroitin and glucosamine extracted from natural sources. These two ingredients support joints, ensuring senior dogs enjoy better health and can stay fit for longer.
It’s not just internal health that your dog enjoys when eating Nutro Ultra. The food contains omega acids, which promote healthy skin and a thick, lustrous coat. Each set comes as a pack of 12 cans, each containing 12.5 ounces of food. Bear in mind that the packaging may vary depending on your location, so look for the Nutro Ultra label to ensure you pick the right can.
Pros
- Draws from three great sources of protein
- A great alternative if your dog has gone off dry food
- Contains a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin forstrong joints
- Great taste your dog will love
- Helps your dog to maintain a healthy weight
- Lift top makes food easy to access
Cons
- The tab used for the lift top may break under too much pressure
- Cans may arrive dented
- Occasional delivery of expired food, which can be difficult to return
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets Wet Dog Food
A great choice for fussy eaters, Natural Balance’s Limited Ingredient Diets (LID) food keeps the amount of ingredients your dog eats at the perfect level. This offers you more control over what goes into your dog’s body. This leads to superior digestion and far fewer stomach issues.
Natural Balance avoid using grains in their foods, whilst also eliminating any artificial coloring, preservatives, and flavors. These cans contain completely natural ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about feeding your dog something it wouldn’t eat out in the wild. The chicken and sweet potato combination also tastes great so your dog will love eating this food.
You receive 12 cans with your order, with each holding 13 ounces of food. Natural Balance also conducts rigorous tests on every food formula they create. They bring together a team of chemists and microbiologists to conduct a battery of nine tests on every batch. Best of all, you can see the results of every test on the Natural Balance website. That makes this a great choice if you want to see exactly what goes into your dog’s food. You can never overestimate the importance of peace of mind when feeding your dog.
Pros
- Completely free of grain
- Helps your dog maintain a shiny coat and strong skin
- Contains no artificial ingredients
- Supports better digestive health
- Great for dogs of all ages, from puppies to seniors
- Soft food that’s easy to eat for senior dogs that have lost teeth
Cons
- Inconsistent delivery standards can lead to damaged tins
- Limited ingredients may not help if your dog takes a dislike to the food
CESAR Classics Poultry Flavored Adult Wet Dog Food Trays
Cesar have developed a sterling reputation for creating great foods that dogs love. They’ve bolstered that reputation again with their poultry-flavored Classics range. Each tray contains a special pate, which Cesar has formulated especially for adult and senior dogs. Your animal receives balanced nutrition, and all of the minerals and vitamins needed to stay healthy for longer.
The variety is what really stands out with Cesar’s foods. Each pack of 24 trays contains a mix of four flavors, so your dog won’t get bored with the food. These flavors include grilled chicken, duck, turkey, and oven-roasted chicken. If your dog doesn’t like one flavor, there are more to try. Better yet, each tray comes packed with juices, making the food even more appealing to the discerning canine.
As mentioned, you get 24 trays with the pack, each of which contains 3.5 ounces of food. You may find this is not enough for large dogs so you’ll have to feed them several packs at once. Even so, each pack comes in a simple tray that you can open quickly and easily.
Pros
- Tray design means you won’t have to fiddle with can openers
- Ideal for fussy eaters
- Small packs allow greater portion control
- Excellent flavor variety
- Uses ingredients that meet the Association of American Feed Control Officials’ (AAFCO) recommended nutritional levels
Cons
- You may have to use several packs to feed large dogs
- Not ideal for dogs that don’t enjoy poultry
- Contains meat by-products
Summary
Each of these foods meets the nutritional needs of senior dogs. Your dog will receive all of the vitamins and minerals it needs, alongside meat that tastes great. But, which is best? It’s a tough decision, but we lean towards Natural Balance’s food because it’s completely natural. It also undergoes extensive testing, and you can visit the Natural Balance website to find out exactly what goes into every can.
That’s not to say the other foods don’t have merit. Cesar’s food is ideal for smaller dogs and animals with fussy eating habits. Nutro Ultra, on the other hand, contains formulas designed to meet the health needs of senior dogs. The focus on healthy joints makes this a great choice for senior dogs with movement issues.