10 Best Wet Dog Foods for Senior Dogs – 2024 Reviews & Buyer’s Guide
Updated on
As your dog enters their senior years, it might seem like it was only yesterday that you were training an overexcited puppy. For most dogs, the age of 7 is when dogs are considered seniors, and as they continue to grow older, their nutritional needs change. Throughout the stages of a dog’s life, nutrition can help prevent disease and maintain their health. When it is time to change your senior dog’s food, you’ll need to do a bit of research to find the right food.
To help you out, we researched and created reviews of 10 of the best wet dog foods for your senior but still a young-at-heart pup. We hope that this makes things easier for you and that you’ll find the perfect food for your older dog.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall
|
|
The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Food Subscription |
|
Click to Save 50% + Free Shipping |
Budget Buy
|
|
Iams ProActive Health Senior Dog Food |
|
Check Price |
|
|
Hill’s Prescription g/d Dog Food |
|
Check Price |
|
Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind Dog Food |
|
Check Price | |
|
Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe |
|
Check Price |
The 10 Best Wet Dog Foods for Senior Dogs
1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Subscription — Best Overall
| Main Ingredients: | Turkey, chicken, beef, or pork |
| Protein Content: | 8% |
| Fat Content: | 4.5% |
| Calories: | 1,240 kcal per kg |
The Farmer’s Dog is our pick for the best overall wet dog food for senior dogs. This is a subscription-based pet food service that produces fresh food custom-made for your dog’s needs. It’s delivered cold to your door and is vacuum-packed to retain its freshness.
The food is customized according to a questionnaire that you fill out about your dog, such as their breed, age, and activity level. There are four flavors — chicken, turkey, pork, and beef — and fresh veggies, all combined. It doesn’t contain artificial ingredients or preservatives, and it is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) and formulated by veterinarians. Finally, the food is gently cooked at low temperatures to retain the nutrients, and it has a nice, soft texture for older dogs.
The only downsides with The Farmer’s Dog are that it is a pricier option and that the website doesn’t let you look at the food and ingredients until after you’ve signed up. Still, we think this is a great way to keep your older dog happy and healthy for as long as possible.
- Subscription-based, custom dog food
- Fresh meat and veggies with no preservatives
- Board-certified by the ACVN and formulated by vets
- No artificial ingredients or preservatives
- Soft texture for dogs with teeth issues
- More expensive than some
- Must sign up to look at the ingredients
2. Iams ProActive Health Senior Canned Dog Food — Budget Buy
| Main Ingredients: | Chicken, rice, wheat, flaxseeds |
| Protein Content: | 7% |
| Fat Content: | 3% |
| Calories: | 711 kcal/kg |
If you’re on a tight budget, consider Iams ProActive Health Senior Canned Dog Food. This pâté recipe features chicken and rice that are slow-cooked in broth, which should make your pup happy. There are added vitamins and minerals for overall health and to promote a strong immune system. It also contains omega fatty acids for coat and skin health and provides the right balance of nutrients for dogs over the age of 7.
The issues with this food are that the first two ingredients are water and meat by-products rather than whole chicken and that the consistency tends to be on the dry side.
- Great price
- Pâté featuring chicken and rice slow cooked in broth
- Omega fatty acids for coat and skin health
- Added vitamins and minerals for immune system support
- Right balance of nutrients for dogs 7 years old and older
- First two ingredients are water and by-products
- Consistency might be dry
3. Hill’s Prescription Diet g/d Aging Care Wet Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Water, corn flour, pork liver, rice |
| Protein Content: | 4% |
| Fat Content: | 2% |
| Calories: | 1,049 kcal/kg |
Hill’s Prescription Diet Aging Care Wet Dog Food is another high-quality choice. It’s prescription dog food for a senior dog’s overall health. It has reduced phosphorus, which minimizes stress on the kidneys, and reduced sodium, to maintain normal blood pressure. It has reduced protein but uses high-quality protein levels that specifically target and help decrease the kidneys’ work. Essentially, this food has carefully balanced levels of nutrients designed to support your dog’s aging kidneys and heart.
The problems here are that it is quite expensive and that the consistency can be dry.
- Prescription diet aimed at senior dog’s overall health
- Reduced phosphorus and sodium to aid kidneys and blood pressure
- Carefully balanced nutrients for a healthy heart and kidneys
- Expensive
- Can be dry
4. Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind Senior Wet Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Turkey, wheat, liver, brown rice |
| Protein Content: | 12% |
| Fat Content: | 3% |
| Calories: | 1,080 kcal/kg |
Purina Pro Plan’s Bright Mind Senior Wet Dog Food is another good option due to its perfect nutritional balance that can keep your aging dog’s mind as sharp as ever. It contains botanical oils that assist in enhancing your dog’s mental alertness, and it’s specifically made for dogs aged 7 and older. It has high levels of protein to give your pup much-needed energy. It consists of chunks of turkey and brown rice in gravy served in a resealable tub, and it supports a healthy coat and skin. You can expect to see a difference in your dog after 30 days.
However, picky dogs out there might not enjoy this recipe, particularly if they prefer pâté. It might also cause some dogs to become a little poopy and gassy.
- Contains botanical oils for mental alertness
- High levels of protein for overall health
- Chunks of turkey and brown rice in gravy served in a resealable tub
- Supports healthy skin and coat
- See a difference in your dog in 30 days
- Picky dogs might prefer pâté
- Might make dogs gassy and poopy
5. Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Senior Canned Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Chicken, carrots, peas, brown rice, and oatmeal |
| Protein Content: | 7.5% |
| Fat Content: | 4.5% |
| Calories: | 1,119 kcal/kg |
Blue Buffalo’s Homestyle Recipe Senior Canned Dog Food has many healthy, whole ingredients. It features whole chicken as the first and main ingredient, followed by veggies like carrots, peas, and sweet potatoes. It also contains brown rice, oatmeal, and cranberries. It helps maintain healthy muscles and is made with chondroitin and glucosamine, which support joint health and mobility. It doesn’t contain artificial flavors or preservatives, by-products, or other fillers. It’s also grain-free, but check with your vet if giving your dog grain-free products is necessary, as grains are quite beneficial to most dogs.
The flaws here are that if your dog prefers a stew recipe, this is a pâté, and that the consistency of it can be a bit watery.
- Main ingredients chicken, fresh veggies, and fruit
- Maintains healthy muscles
- Glucosamine and chondroitin for joint and mobility support
- No artificial ingredients or fillers
- Some dogs prefer stew, but this is pâté
- Consistency can be watery
6. Evanger’s Classic Recipes Senior & Weight Management Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Chicken, brown rice, and dried kelp |
| Protein Content: | 7% |
| Fat Content: | 4% |
| Calories: | 301 kcal/can |
Evanger’s Classic Recipes Senior & Weight Management Dog Food is a nutritionally balanced senior dog food that also happens to be kosher certified. It contains chelated trace minerals and vitamins for an older dog’s overall health. It doesn’t have any fillers or preservatives and is specially formulated for senior dogs that are also struggling with their weight.
The problems with this food are that some dogs just don’t seem to want to eat it and that the consistency sometimes seems off.
- Kosher certified
- Chelated trace minerals and vitamins for senior dogs
- No fillers or preservatives
- Perfect for senior dogs that are overweight
- Picky dogs may not like it
- Inconsistent texture
7. Hill’s Science Diet Savory Stew Canned Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Water, chicken, pork liver, brown rice, and carrots |
| Protein Content: | 4% |
| Fat Content: | 2.8% |
| Calories: | 305 kcal/can |
Hill’s Science Diet Savory Stew Canned Dog Food is just that: a stew for your senior dog. It contains real chicken and vegetables, all covered in gravy, and looks exactly like stew for humans, so it’s quite appetizing for most dogs. It has high-quality protein sources for lean muscles and maintaining an ideal body weight. It includes the right kind of fiber for healthy digestion and the right balance of nutrients for your senior dog.
However, the chunks of chicken tend to be large, which might be a problem for small dogs or those with dental issues. Additionally, the quality control can be iffy, as some cans seem to have more gravy than veggies.
- Chicken and vegetables in gravy for a tasty stew
- High-quality protein sources for lean muscles and body weight
- Fiber for healthy digestion
- Perfect balance of nutrients for senior dogs
- Chunks of chicken can be large
- Sometimes more gravy than veggies
8. Royal Canin Mature 8+ Canned Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Water, pork, chicken, corn flour |
| Protein Content: | 7% |
| Fat Content: | 3% |
| Calories: | 967 kcal/kg |
Royal Canin’s Mature 8+ Canned Dog Food is designed for small breeds that are 8 years old and older and weigh up to 22 pounds. It’s been formulated to stimulate your dog’s appetite and has the perfect balanced nutrition for small and older dogs. It has 25% less phosphorus to support kidney health and is highly palatable for senior dogs.
The issues are that some picky dogs don’t seem to like this food and that the texture is sometimes too dry.
- Made for dogs up to 22 pounds and over 8 years old
- Formulated to stimulate a dog’s appetite
- 25% less phosphorus for kidney health
- Highly palatable
- Picky dogs may not like it
- Sometimes the texture is too dry
9. Chicken Soup for the Soul Mature Canned Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Chicken, turkey, fish, salmon, duck |
| Protein Content: | 7.5% |
| Fat Content: | 4% |
| Calories: | 1,071 kcal/kg |
Chicken Soup for the Soul Mature Canned Dog Food has chicken and turkey as the first two ingredients. It also contains quite a variety of proteins, such as salmon, fish, and duck, in addition to brown rice, oatmeal, carrots, and flaxseed. It doesn’t contain by-products, wheat, corn, soy, or any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and it’s made in the U.S.
The problems are that picky dogs may not like it and that it’s relatively expensive. Also, bear in mind that this is a pâté, even though it’s got “soup” in the title.
- Chicken and turkey as the main proteins
- Plenty of healthy ingredients, including brown rice, oatmeal, and flaxseed
- Doesn’t contain artificial ingredients
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Relatively expensive
- Picky dogs may not like it
- Pâté, not soup
10. Purina Pro Plan Senior Canned Dog Food
| Main Ingredients: | Water, beef, poultry, wheat glutens, and rice |
| Protein Content: | 10% |
| Fat Content: | 3% |
| Calories: | 847 kcal/kg |
Purina’s Pro Plan Senior Canned Dog Food features real beef in gravy, which is high in protein and easily digested. It will help support the immune system and keep your pup’s coat healthy and shiny. It doesn’t contain artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors, and it includes 23 essential vitamins and minerals.
However, it might cause stomach upset in some dogs (especially gas), and it does contain a few fillers. Also, the chunks of meat might be too big for some dogs.
- Real beef in gravy formula
- High protein and easy on the digestive system
- Contains 23 essential vitamins and minerals
- No artificial ingredients
- Might cause an upset stomach
- Contains fillers
- Chunks might be too large for some dogs
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Wet Food for Senior Dogs
When you’re looking for dog food for your senior pup, there are a few considerations that you should make.
Protein
Protein is vital for dogs of all ages, but it becomes even more important as your dog ages. You’ll want to buy dog food containing high-quality and easily digestible protein. Look for whole meat as the first ingredient, as this usually ensures that the protein is of high quality.
Ingredients
A senior dog’s body starts to slow down as it ages and might have more difficulty digesting certain ingredients that it never had problems with before. Dog food made for senior dogs tends to have fewer processed ingredients. There are also usually things like less phosphorus to keep the kidneys in good health and additional ingredients to support your senior dog’s overall health.
Vet Visits
It’s imperative that you keep up with your visits to the vet. You can stay on top of any potential health problems, and the vet can recommend food that will best support your dog’s current stage. They might even provide you with added vitamin and mineral supplements when necessary.
Chunk Size
If you end up opting for a food with a chunky or stew-like consistency, keep your dog’s teeth (and size) in mind. You might find that pâté is the best kind of food texture for your dog.
Conclusion
Our overall favorite canned food for senior dogs is The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food. It’s custom-made for your dog’s needs, it’s delivered refrigerated to your door, and it’s vacuum-packed to retain its freshness. Iams ProActive Health Senior Canned Dog Food contains the right balance of nutrients for your senior dog and has an excellent price! Finally, Purina Pro Plan’s Bright Mind Senior Wet Dog Food is another good option with its special botanical oils that can enhance your dog’s mental alertness.
We hope that these reviews of wet food for your senior pup have helped you find the right one and that your pup will be around for many more years.
- See also: 10 Best Grain-Free Dog Foods for Seniors
Featured Image Credit: Przemek Iciak, Shutterstock
