This week was National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, a day to reflect on your pet’s health and weight. As you assess your fur-baby, remember this is something you can do to improve the overall health of your cat or dog.
According to the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention, an estimated 60% of cats and 56% of dogs in the United States are overweight or obese. Just as it is in humans, weight is an important factor in the health of your dog and cat.
Most pet parents do not enjoy the thought of their fur-babies being overweight. I will be the first to admit this. Tell me my dog has gained weight and I take it as an insult. But we all must remember when it comes to our pet’s weight, it is important to assess and address the problem. The weight of a pet isn’t just a superficial issue, but an overall health issue. Here are just a few health problems associated with pet obesity:
- Osteoarthritis
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Kidney dysfunction
- Skin disorders
- Overall: a diminished quality of life
How can you determine if your pet is overweight?
Ask your veterinarian at your next visit. Or, you can determine it on your own with a body condition scoring system. To use this chart, look at your pet from above them and determine where they are on the Parnell Living Science Dog Body Condition Chart:
If your pet is in the middle, you are in an ideal weight scenario. Notice how you can see the definition in the dog's ribs from above and the side. However, if your dog is in the far right of the chart, you may want to address weight loss. If you know the actual weight of your dog, here is a great resource that lists pet weight ranges by breed.
Taking Off the Weight
If you have determined your pet needs to trim down, start with a less food every day and increase their exercise gradually. Be sure to cut out the extra calories of human food. According to PetMD, there are different ways you can put your pet on a diet. Obviously, you would do things differently for your overweight dog.
With fall in the air, it is a perfect time to take your dog for the run or walk. Do not leave it up to your dog to exercise themselves by simply keeping them outdoors more. They need your help to guide them. Here are some great ideas to keep your pets active:
Of course, you know your pet best so use your judgement on what is best as you help them slim down.Obesity and Osteoarthritis
For both pets and people, obesity and osteoarthritis (OA) go hand and hand. Arthritis is a painful joint disease and the extra weight carries a more stressful load on joints. Of the five main risk factors in determining osteoarthritis, weight is the third most important. The good news is that weight is also the only factor which can be changed. The others: breed, age, health history and mobility status, are all risk factors which cannot be changed.
Find out more information on osteoarthritis in dogs. There are also quizzes you can take to find out your own pet's risk when you click on the yellow button below.
Remember, a healthy dog or cat is a happy dog or cat!
