Paws and Claws

Watch their weight: Obese pets can develop health problems

 by Cindy Anderson, DVM

As diligent pet parents, the health of our dogs can weigh heavily on our minds. If you’ve noticed that your pal with paws has started to sport a fuller frame, National Pet Obesity Awareness Day is designed to “get the skinny” on ways to help your furry friend go from flab to fit.

Obesity is not only a major problem to humans but also to animals. It is every pet owner’s sole duty to take care of their pets and feed them the right amount of food. Excess food results in overweight pets. National Pet Obesity Awareness Day raises awareness about this problem and promotes healthier diets for your pets.

The National Pet Obesity Awareness Day is observed on the second Wednesday of October. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention established this observance and designated it for the first time in 2007. They mark this day to bring awareness to pet owners about the health problems their pets face because of obesity. The day also reminds us of ways to keep our pets healthy.

It is significant for all pet owners to maintain their pets with proper and limited food. Feeding them continuously whenever they please us will result in pets being overweight. It affects not only their health but also their lifetime. Like humans, they also need to be healthy to live a long life. Taking them for a walk is essential. You also can play with them to make them fit and healthy. Lying down without any physical exercise will make them gain weight over time.

Being obese means the animal is 20% or more heavier than their ideal body weight, and 5%-19% heavier than their ideal body weight is considered overweight. When asked by their veterinarians, 90% percent of dog owners and 54% of cat owners responded that they regularly gave their pets treats. But when their veterinarians tell them their pet is overweight, only about 17% of pet owners agree.

We humans spend a lot of time fretting over our own, and one another’s, weight, going to drastic measures to prevent or fight obesity. But what about our beloved pets? Believe it or not, animals suffer greatly as a result of obesity, too.

Not only does it drastically impact their general health, but it also reduces their overall quality of life, often interfering with daily activities and their enjoyment of things like walking and playing ball.

It is difficult to deny our furry companions of food when they constantly beg. Seeing the delight on their faces when they are given treats and scraps from lunch or dinner is one of the greatest things about having a pet. But doing this regularly is doing more harm than good.

Just like us, our pets can develop various health problems from being obese. Here are just a few medical conditions and diseases commonly seen in overweight pets: osteoarthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, respiratory disease, ligament injury, kidney disease, many forms of cancer, and behavioral problems.

The quality of life for these roly-poly pets is greatly reduced. They don’t have nearly the same amount of energy of an animal at its ideal weight.

To raise awareness about this issue and promote healthier diets for our pets, many animal lovers get together one day each year to mark National Pet Obesity Awareness Day.

They can then receive advice, tips, and nutrition plans from professionals in the field to help them reduce the weight of the dog or cat and stop the problem from escalating further.

Ways to observe the day

Feed your pets with only the right amount of food to reduce the risk of obesity. Take pets for a walk or make them do some physical activities to maintain good health. Take some time to spread knowledge about the importance of maintaining good health for pets to your neighbors. You can take your pets to the veterinarian every six months to monitor their health condition. Get expert advice when you find them overweight. You can follow proper nutritional diets for your pets as advised by the expert.

For any concerns about your pet(s) weight, please contact Dr. Anderson and the staff at Lakelands Trail Veterinary Clinic, 4525 S. Michigan 52, Stockbridge MI; or call 517-655-5551.

Cindy Anderson, DVM

Cindy Anderson, DVM,  is a graduate of MSU Veterinary College (1992) and has practiced veterinary medicine for over 28 years.