Pet Obesity: Fight the Fat!
UPDATED: Nov 14, 2013
By now, no doubt, your ears have heard it thousands of times – we are facing an obesity epidemic. Epidemics used to be limited to just infectious diseases, and for some reason they were always named after colors – the Red Death, the Black Death, Prussian Blue Death, Scarlet Fever and Oil-Rubbed-Bronze Death. But now, we face a new and chubbier foe, and so do our pets. Our pets are gaining ounces, pounds and kilograms at the same rate as we are, and the same diseases that come along for the ride in people with obesity (chiefly arthritis and diabetes) are starting to show up in our pets as well. I have diagnosed diabetes in several pets and had the owners come back with “that’s funny doc, me n’ the wife got the dibeetus, too” more times than I care to say.
A sedentary lifestyle, higher calorie-density foods and the ready availability of food nearly everywhere have gotten us into this modern predicament, and these factors apply to our pets as well as to ourselves. Whereas dogs used to spend their days roaming hill and dale chasing varmints or herding livestock (and burning metric boatloads of calories in the process), they now laze about just looking good. And where they once got a few table scraps or offal to eat, they now get full-on complete nutrition that beats in caloric density what a good portion of the world subsists on.
This situation took decades to reach its peak, and perhaps centuries in the windup to the modern way of life – perhaps millennia. We and our pets are victims of our success. Where once life was a short, brutish struggle for resources for both ourselves and our pets, we now loll about in a world of relative plenty. There is little physical work to do to burn off the calories of our engorgements.
So, what to do? Where to start?
It won’t reverse overnight, and it won’t reverse without effort. So start small, start realistic and start with something you can stick with. Here are some tips – and some will help you lose weight as well as your pets:
- Some kinds of treats can really wallop your pets with calories – try low calorie treats like SENTRY PurLuv.
- Get up and get out! A walk will get you moving, and get the pounds off of both of you
- Try an active toy for your dog.
- Cats, who typically are harder to walk than dogs, can go totally bonkers and batty (for HOURS!) over a laser pointer. While not great exercise for you, I can guarantee you will laugh your butt off, so there is that.
- Try walking your cat. It could happen. It will certainly amuse the neighbors either way.
- Substitute a portion of your dog’s food for either cooked carrots or cooked green beans.
Enlist the help of your veterinarian in any weight loss plan. They can be your trusted ally in shedding pounds, and can help with ideas and weight measurements. There can be medical reasons why your dog is heavy, too – some of which are easily treated like hypothyroidism. Your veterinarian can also help with special diets, prescription foods, or even medications designed to help dogs lose weight.
This is a problem that affects us all, and now involves our pets. The consequences can be deadly and can shorten the lives of everybody involved. We have created a world where we take in more than we can ever hope to burn off, and it is catching up with us. There are some options, and there are some things that you can do. There is hope. Luckily, part of the solution can be that leash that is hanging right beside the door. Go ahead – pick it up. See that tail wag? That’s the start of something beautiful!
-Photo Credit: From flickr by DanPerry.com
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Thank you for the tips. I must say, with the weather being so bad in Omaha this winter, I haven’t been very good about walking my dogs. I have been good about giving them treats though! AHAHA! Luckily, I have healthy treats at my house from Sergeant’s, otherwise we could have a weight problem. I had no idea about carrots. I think my big dog would love those! Thanks for the ideas and the time you put into writing this post. It really is wonderful that we can help others this way. Thanks again ~Nichole
Pet Obesity: Fight the Fat! | Pet Health Central Blog http://t.co/LXeyEloPBR #dog #cat
Thanks, Dr. Tony! Great tips, especially since I have one really obese cat and one more-than-rotund dog. (And the other two dogs could shed a few pounds!) These are great tips to get us all moving!
We are seeing more and more obese pets. Often the comment is we need to exercise more. However, that is only half the equasion. The other half is caloric intake. Excessive “extras” often contribute to too many calories. Well said. Think of us as owners as that trainer that many of us would like to have to regulate calories in and calories expended. Practicing what some may say is tough love will keep your pet healthier, around longer, and cost you less in medical expenses. Nice post Dr. T.
When I am out with my greyhounds I get “don’t you ever feed those dogs?”. Have to explain that they are known as the “skinny dogs” and are healthier that way. Now what is it theey say about people and their dogs looking alike? Got a ways to go for that!!!
My girls get green beans as part of their dinner every night just to maintain their proper weight. They come running when they hear the can opener. I try to buy the “No Salt Added” ones so I don’t have to rinse them and delay getting those beans in their dishes.
This is so important! Too many pet owners think fat pets are “cute” and it drives me nuts. It’s unhealthy and a poor quality of life. Their lives are too short as it is. Why make them even shorter? They rely on us to keep them healthy, safe and loved. 😀
Pet Obesity: Fight the Fat! http://t.co/7WhkhBIE7B
Thanks, everyone for the compliments and suggestions! so nice to see everyone here! I hope this information is useful. Anyone else battling with excess pounds on their pets?
I have a kitten who is less than a year, extremely active and has a “Buddha” tummy. We’ve cut the dry food and she gets a 1/4 can wet in morning and evening. But I’m not seeing an improvement. Any suggestions?
I have a drop off dog that I took in. He was in bad shape. The vet says he could have been hit by a car and the owners didn’t have the shoulder looked at so the leg is smaller than the rest. So he doesn’t exercise like the rest of my dogs. Can you help with this weight loss issue?
I have a very large, Persian cat. I think he could possibly be a Persian/ RagDoll mix? He’s humongous! He’s approx 30 lbs! I have him on a diet and I make him play more often. I’ve been trying to get some weight off of him for about a year now. He’s maybe lost 2-4 lbs.
the vet has never said anything about the weight.
Is this a normal weight?
Carrie – hard to imaging 30lbs being ‘normal’ but sounds like you are doing it right. Slow and gradual with a mix of diet and exercise is the way to go. Good luck and don’t give up!
Jennifer – Some cats just have a Buddha belly and can’t get rid of it, like some people do! Try cutting down on the food or switch to a lower-calorie brand (your vet may have some samples you can try). Denise – some dogs like to swim and this can help build muscle without impacting joints. You can also try joint supplements like Joint-Eze and glucosamine-containing compounds, or even prescription meds.