Cats And Dogs Obesity Charts Page 2

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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.

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