At least 7.3 million dogs in the United States are 11 years of age or older, according to researchers at University of California, Davis. Since North American and European dogs have an average life span of 12.8 years, the numbers suggest that more canines than ever are reaching their senior years, likely pushing the life […]
A fast-growing, toy-chasing puppy has different nutritional needs than a slumber-loving, slow-trotting older dog. Feeding your three-month-old meals meant for its elders could mean puppy’s not getting the right amount of calories or nutrition. When the problem is reversed, older dogs could consume too many calories, leading to paunchy pooches. According to the National Academies’ […]
Recently, I noticed my pets reacting differently to their breakfast each morning, even though I continued to feed them the same flavor of chow from the same manufacturer. The brand and label didn’t change, and yet some mornings my furry pals gobbled up everything in a flash, while other days they were less enthusiastic, looking […]
Vegan Amy Rader knows her dog, Henry, needs meat protein, but she hates the possibility that chemically processed additives are going into her 5-year-old beagle’s food. The new “natural” label on pet foods — and what that precisely means — has also puzzled the Seattle-based social worker. “It’s similar to buying organic for myself,” explains […]
“The vast majority of toy dogs are shaky and are always cold,” says Dr. Nelson. “They’re worked up all day long over basically nothing.” As with fidgety people, the constant movement of toy dogs means they are burning energy all day long. They also have small stomachs that cannot hold big portions, so they need […]
For dog owners like Carol Davis of Fairfax, Va., the sight of a synthetic or chemical ingredient listed on a pet food label leads to the following conclusion: I wouldn’t feed that to my dog. “I usually avoid it,” says Davis, who has a 5-year-old English springer spaniel named Lana. “I feel like if she […]
The process of making high-quality commercial dog food involves scientists, nutritionists, veterinarians and even dog-food tasters in a production more befitting the Food Network than Animal Planet. “They’ve got as many Ph.D.s and doctorates on staff as any of the pharmaceutical companies,” says Dr. Katy J. Nelson, an emergency veterinarian who works on pet nutrition. […]
During any given week, your inquisitive dog has probably explored your house and neighborhood, which means it comes into regular contact with everything from dog park soil to favorite canine lampposts, all of which can harbor germs. Your dog’s immune system works to combat these invaders, and dog food with ingredients called “prebiotics” can now […]
In the not-so-distant past, there were basically two dog food options: puppy chow and everything else. Now, dog owners have more choices. Different foods for puppies, adult dogs and the senior set have been in stores for a while. Newer to the market are foods geared to meet the requirements of dogs based on size, […]
Like a person, a dog can develop a sensitive stomach at any point in its life. This intolerance — which differs from an allergy — is most likely to manifest in the form of gastrointestinal symptoms, with loose stools and excessive gas. Below, veterinarians Amy Dicke and Katy Nelson weigh in on how to identify, […]
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