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Some folks seem to think that fat pets are funny, and they put photos and videos of fat pets online. But whether you see an overweight dog in your neighborhood or on YouTube, it’s no laughing matter.
That’s because just 2 to 5 pounds above the ideal body weight can put a dog or cat at risk for developing serious medical conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis (arthritis), increased frequency of joint injuries, high blood pressure, and some cancers.
If your pet is overweight, we urge you to find out why. It’s the first step in helping your pet live longer.
- It may not be just a matter of eating too much. Weight gain in pets can be caused by an underlying medical condition such as hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease. If that’s the case, the sooner your veterinarian can treat the underlying cause, the better.
- In addition, your veterinarian can use a dog or cat weight chart to determine your pet’s ideal weight and the number of calories to achieve it safely.
- Once your veterinarian recommends new daily calories to achieve this weight, make sure you only feed that amount of calories in several meals per day. Ideally you’ll use a prescription diet pet food and minimize or eliminate treats.
Switching foods? Allow a week for the transition so you can minimize digestive upsets. Mix the old food with the new food in gradually decreasing proportions.
- Start by mixing ¼’ of the new diet with ¾’ of the old diet for1-2 days.
- Then increase to half-and-half for another 2 days.
- Then give ¾’ of the volume as the new diet for a final 2-3 days before completely switching to the new diet.
Finally – be sure to give your pet plenty of exercise each day. With a healthier plan, your pet can return to an ideal, possibly life-extending weight.
Written by LifeLearn/MyPetED.com.
Caution: These news items, written by LifeLearn Inc., are licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients. Any copying, printing or further distribution is prohibited without the express written permission of LifeLearn Inc. Please note that the news information presented here is NOT a substitute for a proper consultation and/or clinical examination of your pet by our clinic veterinarian.
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