Showing posts with label how to help your overweight pet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label how to help your overweight pet. Show all posts
Monday, April 30, 2018

3 Tips To Help Your Pet Lose Weight



Has your pet put on some extra layers over the winter? Obesity can contribute to severe mobility issues, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hepatic lipidosis and more! 

Here are three tips to help your pet get back in shape:

1) Get moving! Try to take your dog outside and get some fresh air. It’s a great way to get exercise and meet new friends! If you have a cat, try playing with a laser toy or move the food bowl or treats so your kitty needs to get up and exercise.


2) Replace some of your pet’s food with vegetables. Measure out about 1/4 less pet food and replace the same volume of food with green vegetables such as zucchini spirals, yellow squash or green beans.

3) Measure out the day’s total treats and put them in a bowl in a central location so all family members take from there. Put away the other treat packages and avoid feeding tablescraps.

These tried and true tips really work and are a great start. Obesity can cut short your pet’s  time with you.  Change your outlook! Instead of viewing cutting back on food as depriving your pet, change your outlook to realize you are giving your pet more time with you and more quality of life especially in their senior years.  Consider eating healthier as a bonding project that you and your pet can do together!
Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Is Your Pet Overweight?

 

Is your pet overweight or obese?
According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), an estimated 58% of cats and 54% of dogs in the United States are indeed overweight or obese. Obesity can lead to an array of medical issues and addressing the issue, sooner rather than later, can have a huge impact for your pet.

PRIMARY RISKS OF EXCESS WEIGHT IN PETS  
Osteoarthritis
Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes
High Blood Pressure
Heart and Respiratory Disease
Cranial Cruciate Ligament Injury
Kidney Disease
Many Forms of Cancer
Decreased life expectancy (up to 2.5 years)


How do I know if my pet needs to lose weight?
Here are a couple of tests you can do at home. You can also visit APOP's website, or speak to your veterinarian to determine your pet’s ideal weight.
  • Run your hands across the chest of the dog or cat. You should always be able to feel their ribs but not see them. There should never be a layer of fat over the ribs.
  • Look at the standing dog or cat from a bird's eye view. They should have what looks like a waist that tucks in right in front of the hips
 
Susan Davis, our Ask Ariel nutritionist, gives these tips to get pets back into shape:
Control portions. Look at everything you are feeding your pet -- pet food, treats and human food -- and reduce the amount. Use proper measuring tools. Also, food packages will recommend portions by weight ranges. Use the weight range of the overweight pet's ideal weight, not its current weight. And use the lowest suggested amount for that range. For example, if the manufacturer recommends two to three cups for dogs over 30 pounds, give the dog two cups.

• Control quality. Don't feed your pet human junk food like pizza or sweets such as baked goods, ice cream or cookies. Home-prepared meals using fresh ingredients are acceptable, Davis says. Wholesome items such as brown rice, fresh lean meats and carrots are recommended. Be sure to avoid the human foods that can be toxic to cats and dogs: grapes/raisins, mushrooms, chocolate and coffee. Tomatoes and garlic can also be toxic for cats.

• Increase exercise. Get into the habit of walking your dog every day. Getting outdoors is good for a pet's emotional health, too, giving it a chance to make social contact and find out what is going on in the neighborhood. Most dogs love to play fetch and some love to swim. Cats can stay active indoors by actively playing with their toys and “hunting” for food.