Raw food for senior Boxer with antioxidant needs

Raw feeding done well can be genuinely excellent for dogs — better coat, digestion, energy — but done badly it creates nutritional gaps that cause real harm over time, and the difference is always balance and sourcing. Before I point you anywhere, I want to understand your dog properly: what breed and size are we talking about, have you fed raw before, and are you looking at a complete ready-made option or planning to prep it yourself?

That's a really sensible starting point, and your vet is right — antioxidants matter increasingly as Boxers age, since the breed carries higher oxidative stress risk as they get older. Organ meat, particularly liver, is genuinely rich in vitamin E, selenium, and zinc, so including it isn't just trend-following, it's nutritionally sound. Because he's nine and this is your first time with raw, I'd strongly steer you toward a nutritionally complete ready-made rather than DIY — the balance has to be right, especially for a senior dog. Can I ask: is he currently healthy and active, or are there any other conditions your vet is monitoring alongside the antioxidant recommendation?

Good — proactive is exactly the right time to make this change rather than waiting until there's a problem. For a 9-year-old Boxer transitioning from kibble, with organ meat inclusion and antioxidant support as your goals, I'd recommend Natures Menu Country Hunter 100% Raw Nuggets in the Chicken with Superfoods variety. It's a genuinely complete raw food — PFMA member, nutritionally balanced to FEDIAF standards — and it includes chicken liver as part of the organ content, which delivers natural vitamin E and selenium. The nugget format makes portioning simple, which matters when you're new to raw feeding and watching quantities carefully. It's also easy to transition onto gradually, which is important for a dog who's been on kibble his whole life — you don't want to switch cold turkey on a senior dog's gut.

At 32kg and nine years old, you're looking at roughly 2–2.5% of body weight daily — so around 640–800g per day, split across two meals. Start at the lower end while his digestive system adjusts to raw, then move up if he's maintaining well. On the antioxidant question: the Country Hunter formula covers baseline needs through the organ content and added vitamins, but if your vet has flagged a specific therapeutic target — a particular selenium or vitamin E level they want to hit — it's worth going back to them with the product's nutritional analysis to confirm it meets their recommendation, or ask if they want a separate supplement alongside. Don't add supplements independently without that conversation, because vitamin E and selenium can both be over-supplemented, and that causes its own problems.

Two practical things. First, transition slowly — replace about 25% of his current kibble with raw for the first few days, then increase over two weeks. Senior dogs can be slower to adjust digestively, and a fast switch can cause loose stools that put people off raw before they've given it a fair chance. Second, raw handling hygiene matters: keep it frozen until use, defrost in the fridge not on the counter, and wash hands and bowls after each meal. Beyond that, you're in a good position — complete product, sensible vet guidance, and a clear reason for the change. That's actually the best way anyone starts raw feeding.