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Overweight
Pets
Approximately
36% of dogs and 43% of cats in this country are overweight. There are
many different reasons why a pet may become overweight. It can be due
to over-feeding, lack of exercise or possibly a medical illness but the
most common cause is a pet eating too many calories (just like ourselves).
We often like to 'treat' our pets, giving them 'human' treats such as
biscuits, toast and table scraps and these are usually very high in calories.
When feeding your pet you must ensure that the amount of energy that is
taken in by the body is the same as the amount of energy that is burned
off in exercise. It is very important to get this balance right or the
excess energy that is not used will be stored as fat. Obesity is a serious
problem and can decrease your pet's lifespan. Obesity is also associated
with many other pet health problems such as: diabetes mellitus, arthritis,
breathing difficulties, heart disease, skin complaints and an increased
surgical risk
To help your pet lose weight safely a specific low calorie diet should
be fed that provides all the nutrients and energy that your pet requires
- just cutting down on their normal food will reduce calorie content but
it also reduces all of the other vital nutrients such as protein, vitamins
and minerals.
If you would like some free advice on weight loss for your pet please
call into your local veterinary practice.
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