Pet Obesity

Anyone who has met me in person and who has known me for some time, like a good majority of my clients, know I've lost a LOT of weight in the last year.  I've succeeded through a LOT of hard work and significant changes to my diet and lifestyle.  For example, I don't drink sugared drinks or eat fast food any more.  Those things MAKE US FAT.  Eating a lot of bread MAKES US FAT.  Eating too many desserts MAKES US FAT.  And above all, leading a sedentary lifestyle without so much as going for a walk every day, MAKES US FAT.

I take this very seriously, and when it came to my own health, decided it was time to make the changes necessary to make myself healthier by losing weight.

So I'm not completely surprised that I'm seeing an increase in how many of our pets are FAT.  It's bothering me a LOT because it's one medical condition - yes it is a condition - that I can't do anything about except talk to owners until I'm blue in the face about making their pets lose weight.  I can't control anything they do once they walk out the door, and more often than not, the next time I see their pet, they've gained even more weight!  It seems the "new normal" is that fat pets are generally  thought of as "normal"  while pets at a normal weight are considered "too thin".

Considering our pets eat what we give them and don't go to the grocery store to stock up on donuts and cookies, the fault relies 100% on the owners.  I know that is harsh, but it is true.

WHAT can we do about this???

PLEASE bring your pets in to see me so we can talk about how to get those extra pounds of your doggies and kitties.  THEIR LIVES DEPEND ON IT!!!

I found this online and thought it was some really good info so I wanted to share it with my readers.

1. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 53 percent of adult dogs and 55 percent of cats in the U.S. are obese or overweight.
    
2. 22 percent of dog owners and 15 percent of cat owners said their pet's weight was normal, when it was actually overweight or obese.
    
3. The "fat pet gap" is the normalization of obesity by pet parents. (Read: fat pets = the new normal.)
    
4. Dogs and cats who are 10 to 20 percent over their ideal body weight are considered overweight. Dogs and cats 20 percent over their ideal weight are considered obese.
    
5. A golden hamster should weigh 5 to 7 ounces and dwarf hamsters should weigh 3/4 to 1 3/4 ounces.
    
6. Obesity is the number one health problem in pet birds. Most birds have food available all the time, so they don't have to work for their dinner. And because there's not too much else to do, they sit around and rest all day.
    
7. Amazon parrots, cockatiels, rose-breasted cockatoos, canaries, quaker parrots and budgerigars are more prone to obesity than other birds.
    
8. Overweight or obesity can cause arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, certain cancers, heart and respiratory disease, and more for your pet.
    
9. According to the Purina Lifespan Study, obesity takes almost two years off a dog's life.
    
10. To check if your pet is obese or overweight, you should be able to easily feel your pet's ribs without pressing on the pet and your pet’s stomach should be tucked in.
     
11. Veterinarians determine if a pet is overweight or obese by their body condition score, or BCS. Veterinarians assess the amount of stored fat and assign a number to score if a pet is underweight, overweight, or just right.
 

 

Here is a GREAT link to how to check your pet by using your own hand bones as a guide to what you should feel on your pet:


Judging your pet's Body Condition Score (BCS)


If you are not sure about your pet's weight, give us a call and schedule an exam so we can talk about this!  It's so very important for their overall health and nothing makes me more sad than to see a pet struggling just to walk in the door because they are so obese they cannot carry their own weight - and I'm seeing too much of this these days!!