Nutrition & Appetite Support for Senior Pets
Feeding, hydration, and appetite help when eating gets harder.
15 guidesFood is one of the most direct ways we care for a pet — which is why changes in appetite can feel so distressing. These guides cover what senior pets actually need: energy and protein requirements, hydration, helpful supplements, and how to adjust meals as health conditions change.
Whether you’re choosing a senior diet, coaxing a reluctant eater, or wondering if a supplement is worth it, the goal stays the same: comfortable, adequate nourishment without turning every meal into a struggle.
When to contact your vet
A pet who refuses food for more than a day or two, or loses weight quickly, needs a veterinarian’s attention — appetite loss often has treatable causes.
⭐ Start here
What to Feed a Dying Dog That Won't Eat
What to feed a dying dog that won't eat — why appetite fades at the end of life, which comfort foods to try, and how to weigh assisted feeding.
How Much Protein Does a Dog Need? Senior Targets
How much protein does a dog need as it ages? Senior dogs need ~50% more than adult maintenance. See dry-matter targets, quality, and disease exceptions.
📖 All Nutrition guides
Senior Dog Feeding Chart: How Often and When to Feed
A senior dog feeding chart with scheduling guidance — how often to feed, scheduled meals versus free feeding, and when a feeding change needs a vet.
Essential Fatty Acids for Dogs: Omega-3, Omega-6, Sources
Essential fatty acids for dogs — which ones they cannot make, why the omega-3 to omega-6 balance matters, food and supplement sources, and how to supplement safely.
Best Supplements for Senior Dogs: What Evidence Supports
Which supplements for senior dogs have real evidence behind them, which do not, how to choose by health goal, and when a supplement is not what your dog needs.
Dog Dementia Diet: Nutrients, Evidence, and Timeline
A dog dementia diet built on omega-3s, MCTs, and B vitamins — what the evidence shows for dogs with cognitive dysfunction, and how long before you see change.
How Many Calories Does My Dog Need? RER and DER
How many calories does my dog need? Calculate your senior dog's calorie needs using the RER and DER formulas, with worked examples, a by-weight table, and individual adjustments.
What to Feed Senior Cats: Calories, Weight, and Food Choice
What to feed senior cats, how much they need, why some older cats require more calories, the hidden causes of weight loss, and when vomiting needs a vet.
High Protein Dog Food for Senior Dogs: What Evidence Says
Is high protein dog food for senior dogs the right choice? Where the restriction myth came from, whether protein harms kidneys, and when less is right.
Low Fat Dog Food for Senior Dogs: When It Helps and When Not
Is low fat dog food for senior dogs always the right choice? What counts as truly low fat, when more dietary fat is better, and how to compare labels correctly.
Omega 3 for Dogs: Benefits, Dosage, and Safety
What omega 3 for dogs actually does: evidence for joints and skin, how EPA and DHA differ, label and dosing guidance, side effects, and drug interactions.
MCT Oil for Dogs: Evidence, Safety, and Dosing Cautions
What MCT oil for dogs does as an alternative brain fuel, what the evidence shows for canine cognitive dysfunction, and the safety issues to raise with your vet.
Antioxidants for Dogs: Free Radicals, Vitamins, Food Sources
Antioxidants for dogs counter free-radical damage as pets age. Which ones matter — vitamin E, C, selenium, carotenoids — and the food sources that supply them.
What to Feed Senior Dogs: Making Meals Easier
Not sure what to feed senior dogs when appetite or chewing has changed? Texture, temperature, bowl setup, and how to transition food safely.
Senior Dog Not Eating: 9 Causes and When to Call the Vet
A senior dog not eating may have dental pain, illness, medication effects, or cognitive changes. Use this 9-cause checklist and know the 24- and 48-hour vet thresholds.