- Hypoallergenic dog food HA
- CaniDerm
- CaniAge
- Using CaniAge
- Problems of ageing (anti-ageing)
- Active ingredients
- Use and dosage
- CaniAgil
- CaniFiber
- CaniImmun
- Instant Energy
- Puppy Milk
If your dog is no longer agile and has become stiff…
| The life expectancy for dogs has increased by 25% in the last 30 years. Older dogs already make up 35% of the canine population. This positive development means that lots of dog owners are having to deal with the signs of their dog's ageing. As with humans, tumours, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and diabetes are the main diseases suffered by older dogs. These diseases are caused by an excess of free radicals, which can damage body proteins, DNA and cell walls. Free radicals are formed and decay constantly in the dog's body. It is estimated that every single one of the billions of body cells can come into contact with these aggressive free radicals - several thousand times a day! The antioxidants taken in with food provide the body with natural protection against free radicals and neutralise them (see Figure 1).
IUnder normal circumstances the body copes well with the burden, maintaining the balance between free radicals and antioxidants. However, in extraordinary situations such as illness, high levels of activity or increased environmental burdens, too many free radicals are formed and then destroy the animal's health. Oxidative stress is the correct term for this. As the body ages it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain this balance because the protective layer of the antioxidants steadily weakens. The natural balance between free radicals and antioxidants shifts, and fewer and fewer free radicals are neutralised. This leads to permanent oxidative stress, which modern medicine considers a cause of the known signs of ageing (see Figure 2).
| One example of this is age-related cataracts. Optical research has shown that certain antioxidants (lutein, zeaxanthin) protect the photoreceptors in the lens and macula. Greater quantities of free radicals are caused when UV light reaches the eye's sensitive photoreceptors. The concentration of these antioxidants in the eye decreases with age. Adding nutrients with a high lutein content has led to a significant decrease in the occurrence of age-related cataracts. It is therefore recommended that dogs are also given increased quantities of antioxidants at an early stage - in the middle section of their life - to slow the ageing process and maintain a high level of vitality as the dog ages to reduce the incidence of oxidative stress.
However, adding antioxidants is not just recommended for older dogs, but also for those with a high level of physical activity. Significantly high levels of free radicals are produced by dogs with a raised oxygen metabolism. Working dogs therefore have a higher requirement for antioxidants. |
