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Very simply put, if your pet is overweight it is taking in (eating) more calories than it needs. Set all
excuses aside ... excessive weight in an otherwise healthy pet is a direct result of consuming
unnecessary amounts of food. If your pet is overweight it should be examined for heart, thyroid or
other metabolic disorders. A detailed history should be taken with emphasis on frequency of
exercise, amount and type of food being provided and other parameters relative to calorie
requirements.
To begin let us set the record straight on some common misconceptions regarding obesity.
Healthy dogs and cats do not need to eat every day; the pet food industry has painted the picture
for us of the "eager eater." The impression is that a happy, healthy pet will eat every meal with
gusto. Please do not try to entice your pet to eat if it isn’t interested. If you provide a good quality
food and a liberal amount of water, your pet will eat when it wants and do better than having to eat
when you want. See the pet nutrition section.
Another common myth maintains that spaying or neutering causes obesity. This is absolutely
false. Any pet, neutered or not, will gain weight if it is over fed relative to its energy requirements.
The surgical procedure may slightly slow the pet’s metabolism, as will normal aging, and it will
then burn calories off more slowly; therefore it may require less food. Keep in mind the surgery
doesn’t cause the weight gain, eating too much does and you have control over that.
excuses aside ... excessive weight in an otherwise healthy pet is a direct result of consuming
unnecessary amounts of food. If your pet is overweight it should be examined for heart, thyroid or
other metabolic disorders. A detailed history should be taken with emphasis on frequency of
exercise, amount and type of food being provided and other parameters relative to calorie
requirements.
To begin let us set the record straight on some common misconceptions regarding obesity.
Healthy dogs and cats do not need to eat every day; the pet food industry has painted the picture
for us of the "eager eater." The impression is that a happy, healthy pet will eat every meal with
gusto. Please do not try to entice your pet to eat if it isn’t interested. If you provide a good quality
food and a liberal amount of water, your pet will eat when it wants and do better than having to eat
when you want. See the pet nutrition section.
Another common myth maintains that spaying or neutering causes obesity. This is absolutely
false. Any pet, neutered or not, will gain weight if it is over fed relative to its energy requirements.
The surgical procedure may slightly slow the pet’s metabolism, as will normal aging, and it will
then burn calories off more slowly; therefore it may require less food. Keep in mind the surgery
doesn’t cause the weight gain, eating too much does and you have control over that.
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| Controlling the weight in our Dogs and Cats ...slimmer pet, healthier and longer life! |
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| According to a survey by the ASPCA these are the top 30 names for pets |
