Recent News
Helping your pets get slim for summer
2008-08-18 22:10:45
Pet Obesity
With summer around the corner, most people are slimming down for swimsuit season, but does your pet need to slim down too? Obesity is not just a problem for people, it is a growing problem for more and more pets. Recent studies report that 1 out of 4 pets are overweight. An overweight pet is not a healthy pet. Obesity can lead to diabetes, heart problems, and arthritis.
How do you know if your pet needs to lose a few pounds? First, you should be able to easily palpate but not easily see your pet’s ribs and spine. While looking from above, you should see a waist, and while looking from the side, you should see the abdomen tucked up. This hourglass figure is desirable in pets. If you think your pet may be overweight, your pet should have a complete physical examination by a veterinarian before initiating any diet plans. Your veterinarian will not only give you an objective opinion, they will ensure that your pet’s obesity is due to excess calories and not a medical condition. They will also give your pet a goal weight.
Once your pet’s ideal weight has been established –there are several ways to obtain this goal weight. The underlying principle is to decrease overall caloric intake. This can be accomplished by decreasing the quantity of food fed or by switching to a low calorie diet. These diets allow you to feed your pet similar quantities of food, but by replacing fat with fiber they still get less overall calories. If you choose to change diets be sure to switch foods gradually since it is never a good idea to switch foods abruptly. It is also important to remember that table scraps and treats have calories that add up quickly. Instead of rewarding your pet with a high calorie treat, use verbal praise or offer them fruits and veggies. Carrots make an excellent low calorie treat.
Lastly just like people, pets need exercise. Increase your pet’s exercise by walking them or taking them to a dog friendly park or beach. Increased exercise will help shed those extra pounds and be good for you too.
- Dr. Ruth
With summer around the corner, most people are slimming down for swimsuit season, but does your pet need to slim down too? Obesity is not just a problem for people, it is a growing problem for more and more pets. Recent studies report that 1 out of 4 pets are overweight. An overweight pet is not a healthy pet. Obesity can lead to diabetes, heart problems, and arthritis.
How do you know if your pet needs to lose a few pounds? First, you should be able to easily palpate but not easily see your pet’s ribs and spine. While looking from above, you should see a waist, and while looking from the side, you should see the abdomen tucked up. This hourglass figure is desirable in pets. If you think your pet may be overweight, your pet should have a complete physical examination by a veterinarian before initiating any diet plans. Your veterinarian will not only give you an objective opinion, they will ensure that your pet’s obesity is due to excess calories and not a medical condition. They will also give your pet a goal weight.
Once your pet’s ideal weight has been established –there are several ways to obtain this goal weight. The underlying principle is to decrease overall caloric intake. This can be accomplished by decreasing the quantity of food fed or by switching to a low calorie diet. These diets allow you to feed your pet similar quantities of food, but by replacing fat with fiber they still get less overall calories. If you choose to change diets be sure to switch foods gradually since it is never a good idea to switch foods abruptly. It is also important to remember that table scraps and treats have calories that add up quickly. Instead of rewarding your pet with a high calorie treat, use verbal praise or offer them fruits and veggies. Carrots make an excellent low calorie treat.
Lastly just like people, pets need exercise. Increase your pet’s exercise by walking them or taking them to a dog friendly park or beach. Increased exercise will help shed those extra pounds and be good for you too.