Can you ever have enough time with your canine companions? We don’t think so! Treat dogs right and they’ll bring abundant love, affection, and fun into your life. Even then, dog lovers are keen to extend their quality time, making the precious moments with their pooch last.
How do we slow down the clock and lengthen the lifespan of man’s best friend?
Scientists, veterinarians, and pet nutritionists have been exploring how to extend dogs’ longevity for a while now. Though they may never find a “water bowl of youth,” their strides are prolonging the good years. Here’s what some research has to say about dietary choices and how seaweed might fit into the big picture.
Helping Dogs Live Longer with Diets
Dogs, like humans, are healthier when they stay svelte. A 14-year study conducted on 48 Labrador Retrievers by the Purina Institute found the dogs fed 25% less than their full-fed siblings lived a better life for longer. In fact, these dogs typically lived 1.8 years (15%) beyond those in the control group.
The Dog Aging Project, which has 45,202 enrolled in their various studies, are exploring the value of caloric restriction from a different angle. They are testing whether anti-aging drugs like rapamycin, which mirrors restricted-calorie diets, can help to boost the overall lifespan and health of experimental groups. Whatever the approach, a careful feeding regimen might just do the trick.
There are plenty of reasons why these dietary choices, when guided by vets and nutritionists, resulted in longer lives. When dogs weigh less, there are lower instances of hip dysplasia and hip joint osteoarthritis. Though larger dogs tend to struggle with hip issues (think Saint Bernards, German shepherds, and Newfoundlands), a leaner diet can even help smaller dogs like Pugs and Corgis decrease the pressure on their hip joint. It’s a healthy outcome across breeds.
Furthermore, leaner dogs tended to have healthier pancreases, which improved their insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation. Canines that eat high-fat diets, which is more common when pets eat our scraps or highly processed kibble, can develop pancreatitis, which causes inflammation and can produce other serious health complications. Eliminating this risk can prolong the life and wellbeing of dogs.
Can Seaweed Help Extend Their Lifespan?
Since diet is central to canine health, proper nutrition can extend their lifespan and prevent premature decline. What should you keep in mind?
This marine resource includes trace minerals like iron and manganese, both of which are crucial for dogs’ wellbeing. On top of that, a healthy GI system with a myriad of probiotics can extend the lifespan of dogs as well. In fact, the benefits of probiotics for pets are abundant, influencing everything from their digestion to their immune response and overall recovery from illness. Brown seaweed, with its prebiotic-rich dietary fiber, can help your four-legged friends to cultivate a healthy gut microbiome, creating a foundation for wellness that lasts for years.
Though more studies need to be conducted on Ascophyllum nodosum for dogs, there are more feed companies exploring the potential of including this natural resource in their formulas. Until researchers reveal the secret to canine longevity, people can rely on nutritional ingredients to carve out some extra time with their pooches.
Can we make dogs live longer with the right feed ingredients? Explore how our Tasco seaweed products can elevate the overall health and wellbeing of your canine customers.
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