Nutritional needs change significantly as dogs age, and appropriate diet management in senior and geriatric dogs supports cognitive function, mobility, and quality of life.
Senior dog nutrition is a welfare area where outdated advice continues to cause harm - the traditional recommendation to reduce protein in older dogs is contraindicated for healthy senior dogs without kidney disease and can accelerate the muscle loss (sarcopenia) that reduces mobility and quality of life. The relationship between nutrition and cognitive function is increasingly understood: omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and medium-chain triglycerides have evidence bases for supporting cognitive function in aging dogs. Weight management in senior dogs with joint disease is directly welfare-relevant because even modest weight reduction substantially reduces pain and improves mobility. Individualized nutritional assessment by a veterinary professional is more valuable than blanket senior diet recommendations.