When is the right time to switch my dog to senior dog food?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This depends on the breed and size of the dog to some extent. For a small breed dog it would be like 10 years of age and for a large breed dog it would more like 8-9 years of age. Have a great day!

Larger dogs do age more quickly than smaller dogs. In the case if your dogs I would say your seven-year-old is ‘middle-aged’ and would consider him a senior dog at about 9 or 10 years of age. The larger dog, Tasha I would say would be middle-aged at about 6 years old. And would consider her a senior dog at age 7 or 8. However, keep in mind, regular veterinary check up and routine preventative healthcare your dogs will have their best chance to live long and happy lives.

Hi. At seven, Rose is entering middle age for a Maltese. Keep her on a high quality food such as Iams, Royal Canin. One of the foods for "active maturity" should suit her age. Or discuss with your vet during her next wellness exam.

My understanding with senior diets is that there are no general guidelines that all follow. This can lead to a wide variation in the protein and mineral content of these senior diets. In general, if a senior dog is healthy and doing well on their current adult diet, I do not recommend switching diets, nor do most veterinary nutritionists. As always, talk to Tova's vet to see if their recommendation differs, but given her sensitive stomach concerns, I would hesitate to change anything.

Senior dog food formulas are lower in calories and contain less fat, protein and sodium. These may not fulfill the nutritional requirements of your dog. Furthermore, neither AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) nor the National Research Council (NRC) provides guidelines for senior dog formulas. There is NO distinction made between the nutritional requirements for adult dogs and those for senior dogs. As a result, the ingredients used in pet food marketed for ‘seniors’ is determined by the manufacturer and varies widely.

Lady should have a physical exam at least once a year regardless of her age because pets age much faster than humans. Geriatric pets should get an exam every 6 months and bloodwork at least once a year. Small breed dogs are considered geriatric at 9 years old. At that time, she should definitely have an exam and a discussion about different foods, exercise recommendations, bloodwork...etc. Good job on thinking proactively! I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Happy early birthday to Edward! Cats do tend to start being considered "senior" pets at around 7-8 years old, even if he (hopefully!) isn't acting like it! As cats age, they can develop certain diseases, such as diabetes, skin failure or an overactive thyroid. These can all be diagnosed with bloodwork at your regular veterinarian. If Edward develops any of these, there may be specific dietary recommendations to help him. Otherwise, if he is doing well he can stay on his regular food for a couple more years, unless you are seeing something that is concerning you and making you want to switch him, at which point you should discuss it with his regular veterinarian.