It’s tempting to spoil your pets. After all, we love them, and they’re a part of our family, but overfeeding our pets is often more cruel than kind. This week we’re talking about why those extra pounds can be so dangerous, and how you can help your furry friend slim down…
An overweight pet is at a risk of several health conditions that can seriously affect their quality of life, including:
-Arthritis
-Breathing difficulties
-Diabetes
-Heart disease
-Liver disease
Even if your pet doesn’t suffer from these conditions, research shows that when food intake is managed properly, our pets are likely to live longer.
How to help your dog lose weight
Your dog’s obesity is most likely because he/she is eating too much and not exercising enough, so it should be fairly easy to help them lose the excess weight. Just feed them less and walk them more…right? Of course, this can be easier said than done.
Here are some tips to consider:
-Only use the feeding guide on their packet of food as a suggestion. If they’re gaining weight, feed them less
-If they have a lot to lose, consider putting them on a prescription diet food such as Hill’s Canine Metabolic or Hill’s Canine Low Fat-Glucose Management-Gastrointestinal. This will allow them to reduce their calorie intake while still getting enough of the other nutrients they need.
-Limit between-meal treats or bedtime snacks, unless they are a healthy option.
How to help your cat lose weight
Domestic cats aren’t naturally active, which means they tend to burn fewer calories. Caution should be used when putting your cat on a diet, because too-rapid weight loss can lead to the development of a condition called hepatic lipidosis, which occurs when the liver is infiltrated with fat, and doesn’t function properly. To avoid this, you need to carefully control your cat’s weight loss journey, and this is usually easiest by using a prescription weight loss food like Royal Canin’s Feline Obesity Management or Hill’s Feline Metabolic. Make sure you measure what you put in their bowl at mealtimes, because it’s easy to be too generous.
Have you spoiled your pet a bit too much this christmas? Book your check-up at ParkGate Animal Hospital to have your pet evaluated and put on a diet plan to put them back on track to maximum health!
