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Like it
or not, American’s are heavier then
ever and so are our pets. Based on a
recent survey, over 40% of
American’s pet population is
overweight and obesity is now the
most common nutritional disease of
dogs and cats. Pet obesity is most
commonly caused by a diet rich in
excess calories, the lack of proper
exercise and is the precursor to
many serious health problems such as
heart disease and diabetes.
There
are many misconceptions about what
causes pet obesity today. One of the
most common myths maintains that
spaying or neutering leads to
obesity. This is absolutely not
true. While “fixing” your pet will
slightly slow your pet’s metabolism,
most pets, neutered or not, will
gain weight if fed beyond their
daily caloric requirements. Just as
in humans, all excess calories will
be converted into fat and stored
throughout the body.
Nonetheless
over feeding is not the only culprit
causing weight gain. Many pet
owner’s today work outside the home
leaving many pets without a regular
daily exercise routine. This
sedentary lifestyle also contributes
greatly to pet obesity.
Cats, particularly those with an
indoor lifestyle, may suffer the
most.
Listed below are a few exercise tips
to spice up your dog or cat’s daily
routine.
For
dogs:
-
Playing Fetch: Throwing a ball
or toy is great exercise for
dogs and not too strenuous for
you.
-
Hide & Seek:
Hide a toy or some kibble and
let your dog find it.
-
Jogging or
Cycling: Good for you and your
dog.
-
Swimming or
Hydrotherapy: Ideal for dogs
with arthritis or back problems
For
cats:
-
Toys:
Commercial or home made, cat
toys can encourage active play.
(Avoid all toys with ribbons,
strings and small parts that can
be ingested.)
-
Laser Mouse
Pointers: Shine the light on the
walls, floors, anywhere and let
your cat go crazy. Flash lights
work great for this too.
-
Bags &
Boxes: Let your cat play in a
box or paper bag. They are cheap
and disposable.
Avoiding
the long term heath risks associated
with obesity should be the main goal
when working on weight loss for your
pet. It is important to consult
your veterinarian before you put
your pet on a weight loss program.
Weight loss for obese cats is more
complicated and should not be done
without a veterinarian's supervision.
An exam and blood work can rule out
such things as thyroid or metabolic
disorders. Then together with your
veterinarian, you can create a plan
and target weight for your pet and
estimate the time required to reach
that goal. Remember most overweight
pets have a slower metabolism. They
simply don't burn calories very fast
so plan to allow your pet 8-12 weeks
to reach this "target weight".
Weight reduction takes time,
persistence and effort!
Management of any overweight per
should include:
-
Reducing your pet’s calorie
intake.
-
Do
not feed overweight pets with
other pets
-
Exercise your pet regularly as
directed.
-
At
least once a week weigh your pet
and record its weight
-
Rewarding
your pet with praise and
attention not treats.
For
more information about pet obesity
please visit The Association of Pet
Obesity Prevention at
www.petobesityprevention.com.
To ask a question or to suggest a
future article topic please email
the HSMC at:
media@humanesocietyofmasoncounty.com |
