Fat Cats and Puffy Puppies

If you need proof that the obesity epidemic has made its way into the pet world at an alarming rate, try this: Oct. 13 was National Pet Obesity Awareness Day.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, almost half the pets in the U.S. are overweight and only a small percentage of their owners believe their pudgy pet has a weight problem.  The "pudgy pooch" look is in and accepted as the norm, and an "in shape" pooch appears undernourished.  Not good news for those that wish their pet to live a long, healthy life.

Feeling or seeing a nice hourglass shape behind the rib cage (waist line) is a good indicator of an in shape animal. Follow a few simple guidelines, and you can keep your pet at the ideal weight for his or her health. This doesn't require any special diet food to accomplish this either.

• What is the volume of food you are feeding? If feeding kibble, only feed 70% of the suggested daily requirement listed on the bag. Use a dry measuring cup for accurate measurements.
• The volume of food you feed is also dependent on the individual and its own particular needs. Like humans, no two dogs or cats are the same.
• Consider the age of your pet. Are you feeding the same amount of food to an aging pet that you did when (s)he was growing and much more active?
• Have you noticed a sudden increase of weight gain after spaying or neutering? Hormone production is decreased and metabolism slows down, so modify volume accordingly.
• What type of food are you feeding? If you are feeding a low grade commercial food, chances are it is full of salt, sugar and fat to make it taste good. There is little nutrition in these foods, so the animal never feels satisfied and wants to eat all the time.
•  "Low Fat" is not the answer. It usually means something has been added to make it taste better. Check the carbohydrate level. Unused carb calories will translate to fat. Some weight reduction diets contain useless byproducts that act as fillers to make the animal feel full. In reality, there is no nutritional value in these products and the animal feels left unsatisfied and hungry. Often there will be more poop cleanup, too. Animals cannot sustain a low fat diet and stay healthy in the long run. They need healthy fats for good skin and coat.
• Feeding a less processed food like canned, freeze dried or raw, the pet is less likely to be overweight.
• Sometimes, when following all the rules, weight gain is unexplainable. That's the time to head to the veterinarian for tests to see if there is an imbalance with the thyroid or adrenal glands or other underlying health issue causing the weight gain.
• Are there children in the house dropping food on the floor?
• Anyone guilt feeding?
• How many treats is your pet getting every day?
• Is your pet getting a good dose of exercise every day?
• Does everyone in the house who feeds the pets know the proper amounts?
• Feeding twice a day is better than once. Not twice as much food! Daily amount divided in two.
• No "free feeding." It is important to monitor daily intake and it is not natural for animals to have food available to them all day.
• Don't allow stealing in a multi-pet household.
• A safe, gradual weight reduction program is about one percent body weight per month. Going too quickly can stress the animal's internal organs.

Remember: healthy food choices, volume control, exercise. Simple.

Here are some detrimental health effects on your pet from carrying too much weight for too long.

▪                Diabetes

▪                Ruptured ligaments

▪                Heart issues

▪                Lethargy

▪                Back problems

▪                Premature arthritis

▪                Liver issues

▪                Kidney issues

Please make healthy choices for your pet. You will have a more vibrant animal and staying healthy will result in fewer visits to the doctor.