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Let\u2019s face it, a slightly \u2018padded\u2019 kitty or doggo is cute. But, it usually comes with direct and indirect health risks that far outweigh any cuteness factor. In fact if a pet is overweight, the consequences may be serious.<\/p>\n
HERE IS A SIMPLE WAY TO SEE IF YOUR PET IS OVERWEIGHT:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe best way is to stand above pets and look down on them. You should be able to feel their ribs but not see them. If you can see them, they are too skinny.. If you can\u2019t see their ribs, and place your hands on the side of their chest and still can\u2019t, they\u2019re overweight.. Both dogs and cats should also have a nice taper at their waist (between the abdomen and where the hips go into the socket). If there is very little or none at all, they are too heavy and they\u2019ll be oval shaped. They\u2019ll be egg shaped rather than hourglass.. And a very obese pet will have a pendulous abdomen, hip fat, and neck fat, all of which are very noticeable.\u201d \u2013 www.petmd.com<\/p>\n PET OBESITY IS A SERIOUS ISSUE.<\/strong> Here are the top health risks of overweight pets:<\/strong><\/p>\n Shorter lifespan<\/p>\n Arthritis<\/p>\n Heart disease<\/p>\n Depression<\/p>\n Breathing problems<\/p>\n Hypertension (high blood pressure)<\/p>\n Insulin resistance<\/p>\n Liver problems<\/p>\n Low immune system<\/p>\n Cancer<\/p>\n WHAT YOU IF MY PET NEEDS TO LOSE WEIGHT?<\/strong><\/p>\n 1) FEED THEM HEALTHY FOOD<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t overfeed your pets. The problem usually does not lie with the animal itself, but rather with the owner. Responsible pet owners ensure that their pet gets a healthy and balanced diet, as well as sufficient exercise to burn off the calories and keep their metabolism active. Healthy pets are fed twice daily, with the correct amount of food for their size.<\/p>\n 2) MAKE SURE YOUR PET GETS ENOUGH EXERCISE<\/strong><\/p>\n Try giving your dog at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, and playing with kitties to increase kilojoule burn. Ideally, they should be burning MORE calories than they consume.<\/p>\n 3) GET THEM CHECKED OUT BY A VET EVERY NOW AND THEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Possible concerns could be Cushing\u2019s disease or hypothyroidism when seemingly healthy animals are packing on the kilos.<\/p>\n Cushing\u2019s disease is also known as hyperadrenocorticism and is characterised by the over-production of hormones from the adrenal glands. The extra high levels of these hormones in your pet\u2019s body can cause varied and serious symptoms, including appetite increase and weight gain. Over time, if not well-controlled, Cushing\u2019s disease can increase your pet\u2019s risk of other conditions including diabetes, weakening of the heart and nervous system disease!<\/p>\n Many herbs and natural remedies can safely and effectively support your pet\u2019s general health and help to reduce the symptoms of Cushing\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n If you suspect that your pet is showing signs of an under active thyroid or notice a change in their behaviour, consult your vet for a thorough examination.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Let\u2019s face it, a slightly \u2018padded\u2019 kitty or doggo is cute. But, it usually comes with direct and indirect health risks that far outweigh any cuteness factor. In fact if a pet is overweight, the consequences may be serious. HERE IS A SIMPLE WAY TO SEE IF YOUR PET IS OVERWEIGHT: \u201cThe best way is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2755,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
It has long been a mantra of vets, that the biggest health problem faced by pets is obesity and that more than half of their cases are overweight pets. Issues brought on by obesity are often long-term and can be life-threatening. More pet parents need to be aware of the health risks of pet obesity, and we need to manage our pet\u2019s weight.<\/p>\n