Nestle Purina PetCare, St. Louis, MO, has unveiled a new formula for its Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Senior dry dog food that contains a blend of enhanced botanical oils designed to improve brain function of older dogs.

The technology behind this innovation is neuron-targeted nutrition, which provides an alternate energy source to help the older dog’s brain cells work more like when they were younger, according to the company.

“Purina ONE is dedicated to transforming the lives of pets by using optimal ingredients that work with a pet’s body the way nature intended,” said Chris O’Neil, Purina ONE brand manager. “The number of older dogs in the U.S. is increasing and we take great pride in developing a nutritional solution that helps improve brain function and promotes overall quality of life for aging dogs.”

Nearly half of the U.S. dog population is over age six, which is the age when dogs begin to show age-related decline in learning and memory. According to a Purina survey of senior dog owners, one-third of the owners reported that their older dogs were less active and slept more. Additionally, 40% said their dogs had more trouble getting around, forgot where their water bowl was and forgot how to go outside—so were having more accidents in the home.

“Dogs start to show cognitive function decline around middle age,” said Dr. Mark Roos, director of product development for Purina. “Some older dogs may eventually develop aging behaviors including memory loss, disorientation, reduced social interaction and learning impairment.”

According to Dr. Roos, there are many factors that may contribute to the cognitive function decline in middle-aged and older dogs. “One reason is that the neurons (brain cells) in middle-aged and older dogs have reduced ability to utilize blood glucose,” he said. “Our goal was to find a nutritional solution that would provide an alternative energy source to naturally nourish the older dog’s brain.”

Purina scientists conducted a feeding study with 24 senior dogs over the age of seven to confirm the company’s nutritional breakthrough enhances the cognitive abilities of older dogs. In a series of cognitive tests, the research confirmed that the 12 dogs who ate a super premium dry dog food formulated with the special blend of enhanced botanical oils showed improvement in their brain function, including memory, learning and reasoning compared to senior dogs in the control group.

“The dogs who ate the formula with the enhanced botanical oils had a greater ability to remember things, such as where a hidden object was located, and learn new behaviors in a series of tests,” said Dr. Roos. “They also had a greater ability to adapt to new situations and use reasoning compared to the control group.”

The enhanced botanical oils will be available exclusively in the Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Senior dry dog food formula, which also provides additional nutritional benefits for senior dogs:

* Real chicken contributes protein for strong muscles and mobility;
* Natural sources of Glucosamine help maintain healthy joints;
* Antioxidant-rich nutrition contributes to immune health;
* Omega fatty acids and vitamin E help maintain healthy skin and coat