Whether you’re in the debate or not, you might have noticed conflicting views when it comes to answering the question “do dogs need more protein as they get older”. The answer is controversial depending on whether you believe in pre-empting kidney disease or whether you focus on body mass and protein synthesis. 

Like all debates though, there is often a deeper fear or belief that drives us. For instance, even for us humans there has been an increased amount of focus on protein in the past few decades. 

Are we truly aiming for optimal health? Or is this a deep seated fear of our own mortality that we are desperately trying to avoid? 

Do dogs need more protein as they get older?

German chemist Justus von Liebig was one of the first to identify and study macronutrients and saw protein as the only true healthy one. It wasn’t until the early 2000s though that research showed that high protein intake can reduce weight. Today, social media claims protein as the foundation of health. 

Protein is also the only macronutrient that has not been disparaged, when compared to carbohydrates and fat. It has even been turned into a multibillion-dollar industry.

Has all this background context influenced how we feed our dogs? None of us operates in a vacuum. It is therefore very hard to be blind to the protein hype going on all around us.

Nevertheless, protein does play a vital role in our health especially as we age.

• Ageing dogs’ bodies do not synthesise protein as effectively and as it promotes our immune system, it becomes increasingly important.  
• As dogs age, they naturally loose body mass. Eating more protein could compensate for this because of its role in building muscles.
• Energy levels go down with age but protein intake can help counteract this effect. 

So, do dogs need more protein as they get older? Let’s not forget that exercise can also help maintain muscle mass. A dog who is used to daily and sustained exercise will continue to exercise more easily in their senior years. 

So again, we ask the question, are we simply looking for the easy way out? Of course eating protein is easier than doing more exercise, whether this is for your newly adopted senior dog or your dog you’ve had for years.

Whilst there are insufficient studies directly conducted with dogs, it’s useful to review human studies which are comparable. 

For example, a 2013 study shows that protein offsets inflammatory and catabolic conditions that often come with age-related diseases. It does, however, also clearly state that the opposite is true for kidney patients and may cause more harm. 

Finally though, the same study does conclude with the statement that protein should not be considered alone. It has to be looked at in the balance with the timing of ingestion alongside other nutritional supplements. 

Again, like most things in life, it’s about balance and the context of the specific individual, whether dog or person. 

Or Less Protein? 

Too much of anything can quickly become an issue. 

To summarise the evidence that reduced protein intake is beneficial for senior dogs: 

• Another 2013 study shows that high protein increases the risk of bone disorders, renal issues, cancer, liver disorders and heart disease. 
• A 2007 study shows that a diet with reduced protein and phosphorus, along with added omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants, improved key kidney markers and preserved muscle mass in senior dogs. 
• Interestingly, they also found that high protein diets designed to maintain muscle mass might actually increase the risk of renal disease.

With this in mind, it would seem wise to follow the AAFCO guidelines for protein intake for adult maintenance which is at 18% on a dry matter basis (AAFCO). 

So, do dogs need more protein as they get older? Overall, it depends on the health of the dog. 

In other words, senior dogs can continue with the same amount of protein, assuming they are not showing signs of any other disease. 

If, however, the kidneys are starting to show deterioration, which is extremely common, a slight decrease in protein would seem beneficial. 

The key takeaway is that senior dogs need more frequent check ups and a yearly one is not enough. Vets are increasingly recommending every 6 months for senior dogs.

Finding a Healthy Balance of Protein 

Every dog is different with varying needs. Although we can assume that all ageing dogs will become less efficient at synthesising protein. Nevertherless, not all of them will develop disease or kidney failure. Unfortunately, kidney failure is very common but every bell curve has its outliers. So, we need to pay attention to the individual’s needs.

Therefore, it’s important to do a full blood panel and biochemistry analysis every three months. In addition, they need an active lifestyle where they can be themselves. 

Just like we don’t do well with a sedentary lifestyle, so they too need to exercise. Furthermore, they need to be able to scavenge as they would naturally want to do. 

Of course, we all do our best in providing the right balance for our furry animals as well as ourselves. A frequent check up will give you the data you need to keep tweaking that balance.