Purina partners with Senior Dog Veterinary Society to enhance nutrition education for ageing dogs

Purina launches a new training programme in collaboration with the Senior Dog Veterinary Society, featuring webinars led by veterinary nutritionists to improve nutritional care for ageing dogs amidst rising interest in proactive health management.

Purina is launching a nutrition-focused training programme for veterinary professionals this August through a new partnership with the Senior Dog Veterinary Society, as interest grows in better ways to manage the health of ageing dogs.

According to the company, the initiative will include webinars led by board-certified veterinary nutritionists and will be open to members of the society as well as the wider veterinary community. The sessions will be RACE-approved, with each one offering a hour of continuing education credit. The first, “Feeding the Healthy Senior Dog: Nutrition Strategies for Proactive Aging”, is due to be presented by Martha Cline, a veterinary nutritionist at Purina, on 6 August 2026.

Purina said the aim is to help veterinary teams understand how nutritional needs shift with age, noting that there is no single point at which a dog becomes “senior” because ageing varies by breed, size and genetics. The company has also highlighted its broader work in senior pet nutrition, including Pro Plan senior diets formulated for dogs aged seven and over and products aimed at supporting cognition, joint health, skin and coat condition, digestion and weight control.

The Senior Dog Veterinary Society said the partnership fits its wider mission to improve care for older dogs through education and best practice.

RuthAnn Lobos, senior veterinarian at Purina, said subtle changes in muscle condition, mobility, cognition and digestion can begin before more obvious decline becomes apparent. Monica Tarantino, co-founder of the society, said senior dogs do not become old overnight and that nutrition can help support them through the ageing process.

Image Source: Purina