|
Obesity
Obesity
has become a nationwide epidemic for dogs and cats.
Do you know that 40% of pets in the
United
States and Canada are considered obese? Do
you know that lean pets can live an average
of
2 years longer? By keeping your pet
slim and trim you can
help avoid the early onset of health issues such
as heart problems,
arthritis
and diabetes. We want you to be able to
enjoy more active years out of your
best friend before the onset of
these
chronic conditions.
There
are many reasons why a pet can become obese. Puppies
and
kittens require more nutrients and
energy than adults so we
feed them more. However, after these
young pets are spayed or neutered, their
metabolism slows down due to a
decrease in hormone levels. To compensate, owners must cut back on the
amount
of food fed to their pets. This is also
true for pets as they age; an increase in age leads to a decrease
in
metabolism
and an increased tendency to gain weight.
Overfeeding is
another common cause of obesity. Simply
feeding too much food, your pet eating another
pet’s food, or feeding
pets
unnecessary table scraps and treats all lead to obesity.
Disease is also another possible cause of
obesity.
Weight
loss comes down to a simple formula: more calories out than taken in. This leads to the obvious
suggestion that if
your pet is obese you need to cut back on the amount of food being fed
to your
pet. A lot of
times dogs and cats lack
stimulation (become “bored”) resulting in eating as a substitute for
other
stimulation.
This is especially true
when food is constantly available to pets. (You
should
talk to a veterinarian for the
best
way to feed your pet and
for ideas to reduce boredom).
Some pets require
a new type of food to facilitate weight loss. There
are
prescription diets available through
our hospital to help in
such cases. These diets include Science
Diet r/d and Science Diet w/d, which are available
for both dogs and
cats. Science Diet m/d is an additional
choice that
is only available for cats. Purina Veterinary
Diets have a weight loss
formulation (OM) that is available for both dogs and cats.
Canine
Science Diet r/d and Canine Purina OM are both formulated on the same
principle: high in fiber
and low in fat and calories. The high
fiber consistency allows the pet to
eat a similar quantity of food (therefore
feeling full) while consuming
fewer
calories. Once the goal weight for your
pet is reached, the r/d food should
be switched to Science Diet w/d
because the
r/d does not have all the nutrients required by your pet for long
term
use. The Purina OM food can be used for
both a maintenance and weight loss diet.
For cats, there
are two philosophies for weight loss. Science
Diet
r/d and w/d are formulated under
the same
principle as the
canine products. However, as carnivores
most cats will eat not until their stomachs are full
but until their
protein
requirements have been attained. Therefore,
other
formulations like Science
Diet m/d and
Purina OM are
available, which are basically an Atkins’ Diet for cats.
M/d and Feline OM are high in protein
and low
in carbohydrates. With m/d and OM, your
cat will reach its protein requirements with less food while
avoiding
unnecessary carbohydrates and calories.
Again,
the bottom line is calories out > calories in. Exercise
is
a
very important part of weight
loss.
Going on a walk, playing catch,
chasing toys or laser lights, etc. are good ways for your pet to burn
calories.
You cannot rely on your pet’s
diet alone to get them to lose weight. Any
type of exercise your pet does
is better
than nothing at all!!
It
is our goal to keep your pets healthy and in lean body condition. This will not be an easy task.
Do not give into them. It’s
important to understand that begging
does not mean that the pet is starving.
With hard work and determination you will be
able to help your pet live
longer. They will love you for it!
Call
us today to schedule a wellness exam to discuss a weight loss program
for your
pet.
All
Content © 2005 The Patton Veterinary Hospital
|
