Cats And Dogs Obesity Charts (Page 2 of 3) in pdf

What health problems could my overweight pet get?

Overweight pets, as the same in humans, are more prone to life threatening and

debilitating problems. Here are a few of the common conditions we see daily at

the vets.

 Arthritis – carrying excess weight puts more strain on joints and arthritis

can develop much earlier. Excess weight also makes arthritis more

painful to your pet and unfortunately this is a disease, which can

drastically affect its quality of life.

 Cruciate Rupture – obese animals are more prone to damaging their

cruciate ligament which can be a expensive operation to repair and be

very painful to your pet.

 Diabetes Mellitus – The same disease as humans suffer from. Can make

your pet (dog and cat) extremely unwell and is costly and difficult to

control.

 Cancer – can increase the prevalence of certain types of tumours.

 Increased anaesthetic risks – increases the risks of all surgeries and

procedures carried out using anaesthetics and sedatives. Places extra

strains on heart and lung function.

How can I help my pet lose its excess weight?

There are many ways to help your pet lose its excess weight; here are a list of a

few ways to help.

 Feeding – Reduce the amount of food you are giving to your pet. If your

pet has excess weight, then they are receiving too much food. Feed fewer

times during the day of feed less at each meal. A handy tip is to use a

measuring cup as your pet will be given the exact same amount daily

 Snacking – Cut out snacking! It is an easy way of reducing the food and

helping your pet reduce its weight, if you wish to continue with giving

treats (such as on walks) then you must remove more food from the meal

times. Remember even dental chews are treats and are often high in

calories!

 Exercise – Increase the exercise. More moving equals more calories

burnt. With dogs, more frequent walks or a bit of play can add up the

calories burnt in a day. With cats, playing with toys or using feeding balls

can help increase exercise in even the most sedentary cat.

 Special Diets – There are many diets, which are lower in calories. Look

out for lighter diets or diets designed for neutered animals. The best food

available to buy is available form the vets and has active ingredients,

which help burn fat whist preserving muscle.

All pets are different so the right way to help one pet may not be the best for

your pet. We are more than happy to help you find the correct way to lose

your pets weight and keep it healthy.

Cats And Dogs Obesity Charts Page 2