A balanced vegan diet is one of the best diets that you can feed to your elderly dog
I wish that I knew this 7 years ago. My biggest regret as a vet, is not feeding our previous family Labrador, 'Slick', a plant-based diet.
He is 11 now and needs all the support he can get with his little bent inherited front legs and heart murmur so common in small elderly breeds. We all want our elderly dogs to stay as healthy, happy and as comfortable as possible so that they live as long as possible. None of us want our elderly pets to be in any form of discomfort or pain!
How Does A Plant-Based Diet Enhance The Health Of Elderly Dogs?
💚 1. Elderly dogs need high quality proteins that contain all 10 essential amino acids. The proteins must be readily available and pure plant-based proteins. Meat-based protein diets are high in phosphorus which can hasten kidney disease if your dog is predisposed (read my experience of having family dogs die from kidney failure here). Healthy older dogs can tolerate higher levels of plant-based protein which are naturally pure amino acids with none of the toxic build up found in fish and animal organ meats (as exposed when speaking at the London Vet Show just how many toxins were in Royal Canin, Hills and Purina dog foods). The healthiest sources of these proteins is through any of the dry foods we have in our Just Be Kind shop and we even stock the UK's only Senior tinned food - VegDog Senior Pea and Millet for your dogs in the UK!
💚 2. Even more important than protein levels, plant-based diets contain anti-oxidants that protect the ageing cells in your dog's body. Beta-carotene is a natural anti-oxidant found in bright orange sweet potato, blueberries and fresh carrots for example. The highest level of antioxidant is found in the bright pink microalgae called Astaxanthin that quite literally delays the ageing process in dogs! Greying around their muzzles will be slowed down, as well as signs of early onset doggy dementia. Our Omega 3 Daily contains Astaxanthin which is a bright pink (and delicious microalgae) that has an anti-oxidant effect that is 150 x more potent than eating carrots!! This means that your elderly dog can stay bonded to you and recognise you for longer by delaying the onset of any doggy dementia.
💚 3. Vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin and an essential nutrient that helps to keep the body’s nerve and blood cells functioning. This MUST be supplemented in any age of dog on a vegan diet, but even more importantly in our elderly dogs to delay doggy dementia. Some dogs such as German Shepherds may begin to show signs of dragging of their hindlimbs with spinal nerve dysfunction. This vital vitamin is found in nutritional yeast (with added Vit B12 which is even better such as found here), as well as in beans, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and added to our JUST BE KIND supplement.
Please note that ALL of the complete foods that we stock in our Just Be Kind Shop contain the addition of all the necessary B Vitamins - it is just not a requirement to add the levels of Vit B on dog food labels.
💚 4. A healthy gut is key to your dog’s overall health and longevity. 70% of the immune system is found in the intestines. Plant-based diets made with natural prebiotics and high in fibre are ideal. They provide all the elements to feed your elderly dog’s immune system and produce a functioning and balanced gut microbiome. Our 4 homemade recipes that you can make for your dog, contain 30 different colours and varieties of plant proteins to naturally feed your dog's good gut bacteria. We also advise fresh blended 'smoothies' made of colourful nutritious raw ingredients such as kale, blueberries, spinach, cucumber, apples, parsley and some plant-based milk to enhance their health when being fed any of the dry biscuits.
💚 5. Always supplement a home cooked diet for dogs of all ages. One important amino acid addition in the supplement and added too to the dry and tinned foods we stock - Methionine - is needed in our elderly dogs. It helps to acidify the digestive tract environment. Vegan diets tend to be alkaline promoting diets and with age, a dog’s digestive tract also becomes more alkaline. This can reduce the amount of important nutrients absorbed such as Iron, Zinc and Vitamins. Adding Methionine helps to neutralise this alkalinisation. Asparagus, peas, brown rice, lentils and bright pink natural cranberry powder added to any homemade food for your dog also help to acidify the intestinal environment.
💚 6. I advise that a homemade plant-based diet is fully mashed or blended. Peas, beans or seeds are completely softened and broken down to allow for maximum intestinal absorption. (Read about increasing digestibility of Give A Dog A Bean here for your dog). This is even more important in our elderly dogs who may not chew as well as they used to, due to loss of teeth. Give A Dog A Bean is an ideal food to feed elderly dogs due to its palatability and it is full of pure plant proteins without any soya or wheat that is usually genetically modified and may contain pesticide residues. ALL of the ingredients in Give A Dog A Bean and ALL the other products that we stock are FREE OF GMO's which means no extra toxins, just pure proteins to enhance the health of your elderly dog.
💚 7. You can select natural anti-inflammatories such as herbs like basil and oregano. Natural spices are also so beneficial such as boswellia (Boswellia is added to GOLD DUST Joint and Heart Supplement)
The kindest plant-based anti-inflammatory is Algae oil Omega 3 oil. This is the purest form of Omega 3 with none of the heavy metals or high levels of Vit A as sometimes found in cod liver oil and salmon oil. Omega 3 is so beneficial for ailing joints and nerves. Our elderly pets also need the addition of the immune boosting pure Vit D3. This is also found in Omega 3 Daily or from UV radiated mushrooms (chop raw mushroom and leave in sun for 10 minutes before cooking). Older dogs may not get out for long walks as much as they used to and be exposed to as much natural sunlight as usual, so would need this extra Vit D3. This article shows how Omega 3 levels in the blood can extend the lifespan of our dogs just as it does with us.
The kindest plant-based anti-inflammatory is Algae oil Omega 3 oil. This is the purest form of Omega 3 with none of the heavy metals or high levels of Vit A as sometimes found in cod liver oil and salmon oil. Omega 3 is so beneficial for ailing joints and nerves. Our elderly pets also need the addition of the immune boosting pure Vit D3. This is also found in Omega 3 Daily or from UV radiated mushrooms (chop raw mushroom and leave in sun for 10 minutes before cooking). Older dogs may not get out for long walks as much as they used to and be exposed to as much natural sunlight as usual, so would need this extra Vit D3. This article shows how Omega 3 levels in the blood can extend the lifespan of our dogs just as it does with us.
💚 8. A plant-based diet contains no hidden saturated fat that we find in high meat diets. These are detrimental in humans to heart health, and in dogs can predispose them to carrying extra weight or the very painful condition pancreatitis. Plant-based diets offer one of the best diets for heart health, especially if they are balanced with added pure Omega 3, Taurine and Vit B12 for heart muscle function (which all of our products are). Yet again, there is so much value in our pure Omega 3 Algae oil for heart health in elderly dogs.
💚 9. Cataracts are a dull cloudiness that forms over our elderly pets’ eyes. It affects their sight and quality of life. Feeding a folate-rich diet such as bright green cooked kale, red cabbage, spirulina and beetroot, can actually reverse the onset of cataracts quite dramatically. The word folate actually comes from the word foliage (plants)! The anti-oxidant Astaxanthin in our Omega 3 Daily is also potent enough to delay cataract formation in your dog.
💚 10. Carrying extra weight is common in elderly dogs and we are too blame (yes I am definitely guilty here, as we all want to treat our dogs that we love so much - sometimes maybe to excess!!) It can put extra strain on their already painful joints. It also affects their breathing, heart and energy levels and makes them more predisposed to cancer and diabetes. Plant-based diets are low in fats and high in fibre. You can see the excess weight literally drop off and energy levels return when switching to a plant-based diet.
Studies show how a small amount of weight loss in elderly dogs amounts to a 6% reduction improvement in mobility and pain!
💚 11. Where your dog displays signs of cognitive dysfunction (doggy dementia), it is best to feed them a plant-based diet. They do better on a diet that is high in medium chain triglycerides. They use this as their energy source when older rather than glucose. Coconut oil has the highest source of medium chain triglycerides, so include desiccated coconut in your homemade cooking, or add coconut oil to their food (can be added into Gold Dust Joint Supplement instead of Algae oil, although as it is a saturated fat, it goes quite solid in the jar and can be difficult to mix to a paste compared to Omega 3 Algae oil).
💚 12. Plant-based means no animal products. Many meats contain added hormones, growth promoters or zoonotic bacteria (as found on and in raw meat). These toxins would all need to be processed and excreted in your dog’s ageing liver and kidneys (see the post about exposing Royal Canin renal diets and Hills cancer diet here). A fresh plant-based diet contains nothing but goodness, and the results are remarkable. There is no need for their bodies to work hard to remove these toxins.
💚 13. Ensure that your elderly dog does not suffer from teeth decay and gum infections. These dental issues can impact the overall health of your dog and result in kidney and heart disease, so it is so important to really concentrate on looking after your dog's dental hygiene. We stock a few dental chews and treats, but fully recommend PlaqueOff dental bones as they are the only dental chews with approval from the veterinary dental association with how well they work!
💚 14. Processed diets and treats filled with preservatives and food colourants can increase the chances of obesity and cancer in your pet. This is especially true if they are overweight. A healthier diet filled with anti-oxidants lessens the chances of cancer and ensures that your loyal dog lives to a good old age. Read about sweetest brave Breta who survived cancer...and is still going strong!
💚 Why did we develop GOLD DUST Joint Supplement?
- It contains the powerful antioxidant combination of plant proteins such as organic non GMO maize and oats which naturally rejuvenates dogs in their golden years
- Glucosamine and MSM sooth stiff painful joints while promoting gentle joint healing for dogs in discomfort
- Manganese and lysine are essential components of collagen and cartilage and in all other supplements are added as avian cartilage called chondroitin, but we use the pure source
- Hyaluronic acid has been added which is the only anti-inflammatory supplement that has published studies as being effective in dogs to help plump the cells in the joints and greatly reduce pain and discomfort
- Fast acting with results noticed in just a week
- Boswellia enhances the natural systems that control inflammation
- Biotin, Vit B12 and Vit C support dog breeds predisposed to cardiovascular stress and is an anti-oxidant for the heart
- Psyllium husks combined with palatable Aniseed and Oatmeal provide natural prebiotics to enhance the absorption of nutrients for a healthy immunity
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Gold Dust powder can be combined with Omega 3 Daily for a true Power Duo for your elderly dog's joints
Does A Wholefood Plant-Based Dog Food Diet Delay Doggy Dementia?
The story of 25 year old vegan dog Bramble shown here and the dogs owned by Anne Heritage is proof of longevity of dogs on a wholefood plant-based diet.
We do not have published research in dogs, but we do have it in humans where an intensive change in the lifestyle of humans suffering from dementia, was shown to reverse Alzheimers!
A study in May 2024 from Dr. Dean Ornish & colleagues 👏 (Ornish, D., Madison, C., Kivipelto, M. et al. Effects of intensive lifestyle changes on the progression of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease: a randomised, controlled clinical trial featured in Dr Michael Greger's nutrition video.
Further evidence supporting the power of wholefoods🌱and the consensus, "what is good for your dog's hearts is also good for their heads" (and ours).
It is not just length of life that we want for our elderly dogs; but quality of life. We want them to be able to see and be aware of us for as long as they possibly can to enhance the bond well into their golden years ❤️
What published studies are there about vegan dog food diets and longevity?
The lovely Dr Sarah Dodd shown above, published a ground-breaking research paper in 2022 shown here which due to the positive health impacts of weight loss and eating pure plant-based proteins while enhancing the gut microbiome; plant-based dogs could live up to 18 months longer than meat-based dogs which is almost 10 years in human terms - astounding!
Listen to Prof Andrew Knight speaking at the London Vet Show about these remarkable studies that have been done
“I believe in a kinder, healthier way to feed our dogs that does no damage to our environment, harms no animals and uses fresh, healthy plant-based ingredients for a balanced, wholesome and delicious diet”
- Dr Arielle Griffiths Plant Powered Vet and Ruff Plant Powered family dog
