Is my pet overweight?

Written By Michelle noga

It is VERY easy to let our pets become overweight.

 

Chubby dogs and cats can be cute, but these pets tend to live shorter lives with increased risks of developing:

  • Diabetes

  • Joint problems leading to chronic pain

  • Skin infections

  • High blood pressure

  • Chronic inflammation

  • Kidney dysfunction

  • Respiratory disorders

  • Metabolic and endocrine diseases

  • Various cancers

So, is your pet overweight?

Look at your dog or cat objectively and use the following guide

How to help your pet lose excess weight

1.     Choose the right food

Adult food generally has lower calorie density than puppy/kitten or working dog food. Ensure you’re buying food formulated for the adult or older pet stage of life.

2.     Still hungry? Add in some low calorie tummy fillers
Until your pet gets used to eating smaller volumes they may plead for more food. You can easily increase the size of their meals without adding excessive calories. For example soaking dry food in water or adding vegetables like carrots, cucumber and zucchini.

3.     Smaller more frequent meals
By splitting their daily ration into multiple small meals your dog or cat will be tricked into thinking they’re actually getting fed more, when in fact overall they’re eating less. This is also beneficial in reducing the risk of bloat.

4.     Increase exercise
Increasing gentle low impact exercise is beneficial in expending more energy, increasing your pets metabolic rate and improving their mental health. Allowing your pet to walk the street and stop and sniff at leisure is one of the most enjoyable things for them to do.

5.     Allocate one family member responsible for feeding the pets
Simple yet effective, this minimises double feeding.

6.     Calculate your pet’s energy requirements
Feeding the recommended amount off a pet food bag isn’t a good idea if they’re overweight. Use the below calculators to work out how many calories your pet should eat per day. Then use the energy listed on your pet’s food to work out how many grams to feed.
Dog calculator https://www.purinainstitute.com/centresquare/mer-calculator-for-dogs

Cat calculator https://www.purinainstitute.com/centresquare/mer-calculator-for-cats

 

Unlike humans, dogs & cats can’t steal food out of the refrigerator or sneak out and secretly buy fast-food. We as owners are solely responsible for our pet’s weight and comfort.

If you require any assistance in developing a weightloss plan for your pet, your local veterinarian will be more than happy to help. We love well pets!

 

Michelle noga
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