Showing posts with label dog overweight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog overweight. Show all posts
Sunday, October 6, 2013

3 Easy Weight-Loss Tips For Pets

dog friends smallest 2cat exercise 2



1) Add More Protein When a pet is constantly begging, it could be that they are not getting enough protein.  Think about it---when you eat too many carbohydrates--what happens?---you crave more carbs.  While dogs and cats are natural scavengers, some pets seem to be ravenous.  Check the ingredients on your pet's food label.  There may be too many carbohydrates in the form of grains, potatoes or peas. Carbohydrates are heavily used EVEN IN GRAIN-FREE DIETS to keep manufacturing costs down.  If your pet does not have a medical need for a reduced protein diet, switch to a high protein, raw or canned diet.  You will need to reduce the overall amount of food you were giving previously as pet foods with fillers often recommend much larger quantities.

2)   Carefully Measure Food Amounts— “Guesstimating” how much is in a cup can lead to obesity.  Many scoops are actually two cups not one. 


3) Feed At Least Two or Three Smaller Meals-Small meals regulate your pet's blood sugar and improve digestion.  We do not recommend FREE feeding.  This is a common practice especially in multi-cat households because some pets end up overeating while others undereat. Use a small amount of pumpkin or add some green vegetables to help your pet feel more satiated.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Pet Obesity--It's Time to Take Action Now!



Pictured above is our most recent rescue dog Daisy who has been the victim of animal abuse. Why animal abuse you might say? Well......Daisy when first rescued weighed in nearly 40 pounds heavier than she should weigh AND she was so overweight, she could barely move her neck. She couldn't wear a collar because it would fall off due to the fact that her head was smaller than her neck. It took Daisy nearly 45 minutes to WALK ONE BLOCK! Yet, Daisy is a purebred 4 year old labrador retriever who should be running free and chasing around in the yard. Instead, what did her owners do? FED HER....all day long and on top of that, they bred her as well. Daisy was gasping for air just to take a few steps. Her coat was like steel wool and she looked like a pot bellied pig with her nipples hanging down so low, they nearly touched the ground. This is a disgusting example of how people can take a beautiful dog and terribly neglect it--literally ruining the poor dog's life. Her owners now had a problem--they sold all of Daisy's puppies, but what to do with her? So they decided to take her to the pound to euthanize her---all because of their own abuse! Fortunately, the shelter by law had to wait 2 days in which time Karen, our dedicated volunteer at Ariel Rescue saved her. She took Daisy to the veterinarian and we had her bloodwork done. Daisy's thyroid and other blood values were not functioning properly. Within 10 days, Karen has already trimmed 9 pounds from Daisy (pictured above after losing the weight) and her coat is now improving as well. She still has 30 pounds to go and we will be tracking her progress. We will all cheer for Daisy as she makes this incredible recovery, thanks to the incredible dedication of Karen and Ariel Rescue volunteers.

Many people don't realize the effect that obesity can have on their pets. It is not just a physical appearance issue. It is a very serious health concern. Obesity is linked to heart disease, cancer, liver disease, diabetes, joint problems--the list goes on and on. Giving your pet that extra biscuit which you might think is just a little treat, can pack on pounds year after year. Over 60% of pets in the United States are obese. Shower your pets with love and attention--go on a walk--play with them, please, please remember, just like you, your pets are what they eat!