Are you loving your pet to death?
It is estimated that
40% of dogs and 30% of cats are overweight!!
What about your pet? Come in for a Body analysis today to see what we need to do.
An overweight pet is NOT a healthy pet. Smart owners recognize they are putting their pet’s health at risk by allowing that extra weight. Overweight pets tend to play and exercise less and don’t live as long as healthy pets do. They also have a lower resistance to infection and tend to be less able to fight off infectious diseases. Obese pets have an increased instance of arthritis, spinal disc problems, and torn knee ligaments. Obesity leads to impaired endurance, increased fatigue and high blood pressure. The increased workload on the heart contributes to an increase of heart disease in overweight pets, leading to congestive heart failure.
Other problems associated with obesity are:
Diabetes Mellitus: pets that are obese have an increased risk and severity of diabetes
Gastrointestinal problems: Overweight pets have increased constipation, flatulence and stomach ulcers
Increased Cancer rate: Overweight dogs are at a higher risk for cancer 50% higher risk than their healthy counterparts
Reduced Liver function: Due to the accumulation of fat in the liver, its ability to function can be compromised
High blood pressure: This condition worsens with obesity, and hypertension increases the risk of kidney, heart and vascular disease.
Impaired hormone release: The release of growth hormone is impaired in overweight pets.
All these effects contribute to a reduced life span and affect the quality of a pet’s life. Pets that are healthy and physically fit tend to live longer, are happier and enjoy life more. There are some special considerations when putting our overweight cats vs. our overweight dogs on a diet. See below.
