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Pet
diets
IT'S not just us humans that are getting fatter; your pets are at risk,
too.
A recent survey by the Pet Health Council found that the number of
fat and obese dogs is as high as 41 per cent?
All vets recommend exercise and a balanced diet as the best way to keep pets healthy.
Obesity is
one of the greatest health concerns facing all animals, especially dogs. You
can and should do something about it. Overweight dogs may live shorter and less
healthy lives and your enjoyment of their unconditional love and companionship
may be shortened because of it.
Extra pounds place an excess burden on bones and joints and can make arthritis
problems worse. Overweight pets are less able to exercise and play comfortably
and their breathing may be laboured. Their bodies may
be less able to resist infections, and they may be at greater risk for problems
during surgery and anaesthesia.
Potential health problems include:
• Joint or Locomotion Difficulties. Extra pounds add stress to joints, bones,
ligaments and muscles. Conditions such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, spinal disc
disease and ruptures of joint ligaments may be caused or aggravated by obesity.
• Heart and Respiratory Disease. Excess fat tissue in the chest cavity and
around the muscles of the heart can decrease the efficiency of the heart and
lungs. Your pet’s heart and lungs have to work harder to provide adequate
oxygen and circulation.
• Diabetes. Just as in humans, diabetes is much more common in obese pets.
• Liver Disease. Obese pets are prone to liver disease
• Heat Intolerance. The insulating properties of excessive fat make it harder for
obese pets to tolerate heat and they feel uncomfortable.
• Skin Problems. Obese pets may have trouble grooming because the rolls of skin
built up by fat deposits can often harbour dirt, bacteria and other harmful
organisms.
• Gastrointestinal Disorders. Inflammation of the pancreas is frequently found
in obese pets. It is painful and can be life threatening.
How Dogs Become Overweight?
Dogs most always become overweight from lack of good exercise and from eating
more food than they require. Food calories, which aren’t burned during their
daily activities, are stored as fat. Feeding your pet scraps from the table may
seem a kind thing to do but it will encourage an animal to eat more often than
they should and potentially to eat the wrong kinds of food.
Is your pet over weight?
Overeating
can result from greediness, boredom, or overfeeding. Feeding leftovers or
giving frequent snacks or treats often contributes to excess weight problems.
Over-fed young animals tend to become overweight older animals. They also have
a greater risk of developing orthopaedic problems. Properly feed young animals
will be less likely to suffer from weight problems later in life.
Occasionally, metabolic disorders can cause a pet to become overweight. But
overfeeding and under exercising are much more common causes of excess weight.
If your veterinarian suspects that a metabolic disorder is causing your pet to
gain weight, he or she will test for that disorder and treat it accordingly.
Katy’s
vital statistics
Length - 69 cm (27
inches)
Waist - 70 cm (27.5
inches)
Weight - 23 kg (50
pounds)
Whisker span - 15 cm (6
inches)
Food consumption: 1.3 frankfurters
per minute
Source: Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper
How Can I Tell
if My pet is Overweight?
A quick check to determine whether your pet is overweight is to feel his ribs
with the flat palm of your hand. If you have difficulty feeling his ribs, then
your pet probably needs to lose weight.
Helping Your
pet Lose Weight.
Weight loss for most pets involves increased exercise and eating food with
fewer calories. It’s generally easier to feed normal amounts of a low-calorie
pet food than to feed much smaller amounts of his/her regular pet food. In
addition, your pet will not feel as hungry when fed a normal amount of food.
Dieting for pets.
Your vet will help set a weight goal for your pet and will recommend how much
food he should eat each day. A special diet may also be prescribed. The food
choice should be designed to satisfy your dog’s appetite and provide him all
the vitamins and minerals he needs while at the same time helping him to lose
weight.
Your pet may need a gradual transition from the old to the new diet. So, you
would feed him increasing amounts of the new diet while decreasing the amounts
of the previous diet each day over several days until the transition is complete.
To help keep your pet from begging, feed him before your family eats, and keep
him out of the room during your meal.
It is also a
good idea to feed overweight pets at the same time as other pets to help
prevent food stealing from their slimmer companions. Always provide plenty of
clean, fresh drinking water.
Regular exercise, such as walks or runs, is good for most dogs (other pets need
to be encouraged to play by providing them with as much space and toys as
possible) because it increases the number of calories they burn. If your pet is
old or in poor health, check with your vet before increasing exercise.
The time period your pet will require to lose weight depends upon how much
weight he is required to lose. Your pet may need 8 to 14 weeks or longer to
reach his target weight.
What Type of pet Food is Good for Weight Control?
A dieting pet has special nutritional needs. His diet should be balanced with a
proper ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates. The diet should also provide a
normal volume of food to satisfy his hunger and the food should also provide
quality nutrients.
Weight loss plans don’t need to include high levels of fibre. Fibre is not
necessary for weight loss in pets, and in large amounts, it may have side
effects such as increased faeces and lack of interest in the food because of
its poor taste.
Always consult with your vet before you start a weight loss program for your
dog.
Our Complete List of Recommended Pet Health Foods
·
Wysong Pet
Food Products Web Page http://wysong.net/page/WOTTPWS/CTGY/CA
·
Solid Gold
Health Products For Pets http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/
·
Nature's
Recipe http://www.naturesrecipe.com/
·
Nutro Canine
& Feline Pet Food Products http://www.nutroproducts.com/default.asp
·
Pet Guard
Canine & Feline Pet Foods http://www.petguard.com/
·
Flint River
Ranch http://www.net-pets.com/
·
Steve's Real
Food For Pets
http://www.stevesrealfood.com/
·
Back to
Basics Pet Food http://www.beowulfs.com/index.shtml
·
Precise Pet
Products http://www.precisepet.com/dogprod.asp
·
Canidae &
Felidae Pet Foods http://www.canidae.com/index.html
·
Natura Pet
Products
(Including Innova, California Natural and Healthwise)
·
James Wellbeloved products http://www.wellbeloved.co.uk/welcome/
·
Burns pet nutrition http://www.burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk/
·
Science Plan http://www.hillspet.com/_refacing/utilities/SiteSelector.jsp
·
Wafcol http://www.veggiepets.com/acatalog/wafcol_delights_hypoallergenic.html
There are many other healthy products
for your pets on the market these are the ones that have been recommended to
us. Please ask your vets advice before
putting any animal on a diet.
 Back
to basics pet food http://www.beowulfs.com/index.shtml
  http://www.canidae.com/index.html
 http://www.wellbeloved.co.uk/welcome/
Please ask your vets
advice before putting any animal on a diet.
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