Sharp Again - Brain & Cognitive Function

Your dog is considered mature or senior around the 7-year mark (small breeds might not be considered senior until the 9-year mark).

 As a dog ages, its dietary needs change too. Some things to include in your senior dog's diet are:

▸ Omega 3 and Omega 6, ideally in a 1:5 ratio (Omega 3: Omega 6) ratio.
Both Omega 3 and Omega 6 support healthy joints, gastrointestinal and immune systems, brain and cognition health, and skin and eyesight.

▸ Plenty of Antioxidants.
Antioxidants are the first line of defence against many age-related processes involving oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a detrimental chemical transformation of critical molecules that reduces a cell's ability to detoxify and repair.

▸ Glucosamine, MSM and Hyaluronic Acid.
Together with Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, these ingredients maintain healthy joint and cartilage function.

▸ Vitamin C, E and Zinc.
Vitamin E and Zinc are essential to many biological processes related to a cell's normal health and function.

▸ Clinically Proven Probiotics.
Recent veterinary research suggests probiotics play a vital role in maintaining a healthy immune system in senior dogs.

If you'd like to learn more, here is an excellent article from Wikipedia on the principal elements to include in a Senior Dog’s Diet. 

Taking care of your mature dog is more than just feeding them an optimal diet. You also want to take into consideration lifestyle adjustments.

This article published on the Today's Veterinary Nurse website shares some helpful information for looking after a mature and senior dogs.

A few highlights from the article include:

Movement: Mature and senior dogs should not be left to lie stationary in cages or, on the converse, taken on runs for long periods. Physical activity influences many of our body's systems, including blood pressure, gastrointestinal (GI) motility, edema, physical discomfort, body temperature, and muscle strength. 

The easiest way to promote movement is to walk your pet. However, if walking isn't an option, provide them with physical therapy instead – this may include a range of motion exercises, massage, and assisted changes in position. Providing either walks or physical therapy around every 4 hours is an excellent place to start.

Comfort: Mature and senior dogs often have lower muscle mass and reduced mobility than younger dogs. They may also have difficulty navigating hard cages or floors. Additionally, senior pets risk developing pressure-associated injuries when left to lie in a rigid cage. Use nonslip mats and thick, comfortable blankets if you need to keep your mature dog in a cage. 

As they age, older dogs become more susceptible to certain health conditions. These conditions are often related to the activation of specific genes and the slowing of their cell's capacity to duplicate and repair.

Here is an excerpt from an excellent article published on The Veterinary Nurse website regarding how to take better care of mature and senior dogs. The article is directed towards professional veterinary nurses.

Before diving in, remember that if your dog's physical or mental health has noticeably decreased, you should talk to your veterinary team before anything else.

Some notes from the article:

"The ageing process is a normal and natural phase of life, however it is also a progressive and an irreversible process occurring throughout the entire body. Ageing is a genetically determined process and when these so-called 'ageing genes' become activated, they begin to slow down some of the processes that are essential for life. For example, special senses such as hearing and sight can become impaired, renal atrophy and decreased glomerular filtration rate can occur, along with a loss of cognitive brain function."

 "Looking at the patient as a whole being, the ageing process has an effect on all major body systems, from the skin through to the renal, endocrine and nervous systems. As the body ages, symptoms such as increasing levels of stiffness and loss of elasticity can occur throughout the body's connective tissue. Cellular changes will also occur, for example, within the immune system. This may decrease the immune system's functionality, potentially making it more difficult for the patient to fight off infections, alongside a decreased ability of phagocytosis due to metabolic changes."

All our formulas have been carefully researched consulting a wide range of available literature, including peer-reviewed scientific and veterinarian-approved sources. We only use safe, active ingredients (without added fillers, gums, preservative, sugars or colours) and manufacture all our formulas in a facility certified by an independent third-party to comply with Health Canada regulations and the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

Every ingredient in our blends supports each individual formulation as a whole. For example, our all products contain Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids together with Vitamin E and antioxidants, since current scientific literature suggests these ingredients work better when combined.

Our products proudly hold the Veterinary Health Product / Produit de Santé Animale Official Designation by Health Canada , which means that all the ingredients, health claims, and manufacturing processes are compliant with high quality and safety standards.

Our products use advanced and environmentally-conscious ingredients and formulations for joint-related mobility problems, gastrointestinal and immune systems support, and brain and cognitive health and function. Our formulations include:

▸ A rich and stable blend of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids with standardized amounts of eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids, both of which are considered optimal for mature and senior dogs by animal nutrition experts.

▸ An Omega 3 fish-based oil manufactured using only wild-caught Alaska pollock from the Alaskan Bering Sea and Aleutian Island Fisheries which reduces the pressure on salmon and krill stocks recently observed across the planet. These fisheries are managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Services and are mercury- and heavy-metal-free, as well as certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.

▸ Vitamin C, E and other powerful antioxidants, which help fight Oxidative Stress (a big concern for the general health of mature and senior dogs) while supporting the bioavailability of Omega fatty acids.

▸ A combination of premium ingredients not commonly found in other supplements like hyaluronic acid, a clinically proven strain of probiotics, beta-glucan, alpha-lipoic acid, phosphatidylserine, and a variety of plant-based antioxidants. Each of these ingredients supports the overall well-being of your senior pet's mobility, cognitive function, and GI health.