Dogs
By Carol Johnson
Many pet lovers think they can easily show their dog or cat how much they love them by giving them a treat and rubbing their belly. But too many of those treats, and that belly will get bigger and bigger. Which is a sad state of affairs, because a pets weight level is totally managed by its owner.
A 2005 study from Purina found that 60% of pets in the United States were overweight. But almost half of the owners surveyed said that their pet had an "ideal" body condition. Most people show their pets love and affection by giving them snacks now and then, but they dont realize, for instance, that one single dog biscuit can carry as much as 100 calories. So if you give your dog five treats, thats 500 calories! Add to that the table scraps after dinner, along with their regular food, and before you know it, your healthy dog will become a fat sausage with legs.
Pet nutritionists say that obese pets can be a sensitive issue to owners, because they take it personally when the vet tells them their pet is overweight. But they should take it personally, because a pets food intakeand therefore their weightis completely controlled by the owner. And a pet owner doesnt want to admit his pet is fat because its clearly the owners fault.
Just like people who are carrying extra pounds, the added weight will eventually cause health problems for pets, and may actually shorten the animals life. Vets are seeing increasing numbers of pets with severe orthopedic problems, as well as respiratory, cardiac, and metabolic problems, all of which could have been prevented by owners keeping them on a regular diet and exercise regimen. Many people dont use measuring cups to feed their petsso if a bag of food says 1 cup a day and you just pour the food into the bowl, you could easily be giving your pet twice the amount he should have, or even more.
Several websites, including the College of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State University, have a test you can use to find out your pets body condition score and learn whether or not it is overweight. The test is the same one used by many vets to determine what the ideal weight of an animal should be.
But you dont need a test to see if your pet is too heavy; there are two simple tests you can perform yourself without having to have a vet tell you to cut back on the treats. If you stand over your cat or dog and look down at them, you should be able to see their "waist" tucking inward just in front of the hips, just like a healthy humans waistline. If you run your hands across the chest and sides of a dog or cat, you should be able to feel their ribs, without a layer of fat covering them. If you can see the ribs just looking at the animal, then they are underweightbut if you cant feel them, then the animal is overweight.
If you decide that your pet should shed a few pounds, there are several easy steps to take that will be painless and actually enjoyable for your pet:
- How To Help Your Dog Or Cat Lose Weight
By Linda Cole An overweight dog or cat can struggle with many of the same health concerns overweight people have to deal with. There's nothing wrong with giving your pet a few TidNips treats now and then, especially when training, but we need to...
- Is My Dog Overweight?
Is your dog overweight? If your answer is "no", are you sure? Only 22% of owners believe their own pets to be overweight. But in reality, a 2011 study showed that 53% of dogs are overweight. This means that 31% of owners are in denial...
- How Much Should I Feed My Dog
'Woof, Woof'. With his tail wagging at 80 miles/hour, one look and you could guess Patchie is hungry. Patchie is our dear 3 years old pet. We got him as a pup loitering around the street and did not know what breed he actually was. Anyway,...
- How Much To Feed A Cat?
Cats are great pets and companions but taking care of them can create a few questions, such as how much to feed a cat? What type of food? Canned or Dry? Every cat is a little different, just like us humans some prefer dry food and others wet food. It...
- 7 Surprising Facts About Weight Loss
How To Lose Weight For Good - It's Not How You Would Think! 1) Thin does NOT mean healthy! And also bigger/heavier doesnt necessarily mean unhealthy either, despite all the hype about obesity being a killer. Dont misunderstand, I am not suggesting...
Dogs
Want to Give Your Pet a Treat? Dont Overfeed Him!
By Carol Johnson
Many pet lovers think they can easily show their dog or cat how much they love them by giving them a treat and rubbing their belly. But too many of those treats, and that belly will get bigger and bigger. Which is a sad state of affairs, because a pets weight level is totally managed by its owner.
A 2005 study from Purina found that 60% of pets in the United States were overweight. But almost half of the owners surveyed said that their pet had an "ideal" body condition. Most people show their pets love and affection by giving them snacks now and then, but they dont realize, for instance, that one single dog biscuit can carry as much as 100 calories. So if you give your dog five treats, thats 500 calories! Add to that the table scraps after dinner, along with their regular food, and before you know it, your healthy dog will become a fat sausage with legs.
Pet nutritionists say that obese pets can be a sensitive issue to owners, because they take it personally when the vet tells them their pet is overweight. But they should take it personally, because a pets food intakeand therefore their weightis completely controlled by the owner. And a pet owner doesnt want to admit his pet is fat because its clearly the owners fault.
Just like people who are carrying extra pounds, the added weight will eventually cause health problems for pets, and may actually shorten the animals life. Vets are seeing increasing numbers of pets with severe orthopedic problems, as well as respiratory, cardiac, and metabolic problems, all of which could have been prevented by owners keeping them on a regular diet and exercise regimen. Many people dont use measuring cups to feed their petsso if a bag of food says 1 cup a day and you just pour the food into the bowl, you could easily be giving your pet twice the amount he should have, or even more.
Several websites, including the College of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State University, have a test you can use to find out your pets body condition score and learn whether or not it is overweight. The test is the same one used by many vets to determine what the ideal weight of an animal should be.
But you dont need a test to see if your pet is too heavy; there are two simple tests you can perform yourself without having to have a vet tell you to cut back on the treats. If you stand over your cat or dog and look down at them, you should be able to see their "waist" tucking inward just in front of the hips, just like a healthy humans waistline. If you run your hands across the chest and sides of a dog or cat, you should be able to feel their ribs, without a layer of fat covering them. If you can see the ribs just looking at the animal, then they are underweightbut if you cant feel them, then the animal is overweight.
If you decide that your pet should shed a few pounds, there are several easy steps to take that will be painless and actually enjoyable for your pet:
- Control portion sizes and reduce the amount you typically feed your dog or cat. Use proper measuring tools to be sure you know exactly how much youre feeding them. Packages of dry food recommend portions based on the weight range of the animal, but you should use the range of your pets ideal weight, not their current weight. And then use the lowest amount suggested for that weight range.
- Dont feed your pet "human food." Table scraps, pizza crusts, and junk food are out of the question. You can prepare home-made meals for your pet, but only use fresh ingredients, lean meats, rice, and actually carrots. But some human foods can be toxic to animals, such as chocolate, mushrooms, grapes, tomatoes, and garlic. If you are unsure what foods might be harmful to your pets health, its easy to just stick with commercially packaged pet food. Just dont give them too much.
- Try feeding your pet a diet pet food. Just like people food, most major brands of pet food come in lower calorie versions, sometimes labeled as "senior" for older animals. But your pet doesnt have to be old to merit lower calories. And if your pet turns up his nose at diet food, try mixing it with a little of his regular food for a while, then gradually reduce the amount of regular food until youre feeding him only the lower calorie dinners.
- Get your pet moving. If you have a dog, take him outdoors for a walk every day. Not only is getting fresh air good for the animal, being outdoors and exploring are good for his emotional health. You can play fetch, take them running or swimming, or set up obstacle courses for them to navigate. With cats, you can keep them active indoors by getting them catnip toys to play with and chase, or you can even walk them outside on a leash.
- How To Help Your Dog Or Cat Lose Weight
By Linda Cole An overweight dog or cat can struggle with many of the same health concerns overweight people have to deal with. There's nothing wrong with giving your pet a few TidNips treats now and then, especially when training, but we need to...
- Is My Dog Overweight?
Is your dog overweight? If your answer is "no", are you sure? Only 22% of owners believe their own pets to be overweight. But in reality, a 2011 study showed that 53% of dogs are overweight. This means that 31% of owners are in denial...
- How Much Should I Feed My Dog
'Woof, Woof'. With his tail wagging at 80 miles/hour, one look and you could guess Patchie is hungry. Patchie is our dear 3 years old pet. We got him as a pup loitering around the street and did not know what breed he actually was. Anyway,...
- How Much To Feed A Cat?
Cats are great pets and companions but taking care of them can create a few questions, such as how much to feed a cat? What type of food? Canned or Dry? Every cat is a little different, just like us humans some prefer dry food and others wet food. It...
- 7 Surprising Facts About Weight Loss
How To Lose Weight For Good - It's Not How You Would Think! 1) Thin does NOT mean healthy! And also bigger/heavier doesnt necessarily mean unhealthy either, despite all the hype about obesity being a killer. Dont misunderstand, I am not suggesting...