By Lennox Bradly
Is your pet slim and trim?

The time of year has come where the majority of us, wish we had not put on that extra weight over the winter months. Looking good for the summer is something that all people strive to be able to accomplish. Ask anybody who is a pet owner, if they pay much attention to the weight of their pet however and generally the answer will be “hmmmm, not really.”

Pets that are overweight do not only have a greater risk of developing poor physical health , but also show pet care professionals that you the pet owner are not properly caring for your pet. Each year millions of vet appointments are made siting symptoms of health related incidents that have a direct link to the weight of that animal in question.

The saying “we are killing our pets out of sheer kindness” is one that holds a lot of merit. If you think about it, food plays a huge role in the lives of our pets whether it be through the use of treats while training, scraps from the dinner table, frequent rummaging through easy to access garbage cans, etc.

Surveys conducted by various pet health care organizations estimate that 25 to 40% of all house hold pets have a battle with the bulge. Others furthermore concluded that pet owners did not think their pets were overweight at all, when in actual fact they were. This has been compared to the human way of justifying weight gain, by wearing baggy clothing that will always fit, to hide the obvious.

Pet owners should be aware however that subjecting their pets to lavish portions of food and extras galore has many drawbacks and opens the door to potential problems down the road. Carrying around access weight has a direct link to the onset of many diseases ranging from diabetes, heart disease, cancer, respiratory problems and arthritis. Furthering to this unsettling trend, if your pet is already predisposed to a genetic disease or other health problem, this is only enhanced by their increased body mass due to access weight.

To aid in the fight against the canine bulge, dog food manufacturers offer low cal. foods as well as other diet favorable mixtures, however a lot of dog owners do not like this alternative due to their feeling guilty as if they are depriving their pet of something. Frequent exercise coupled with a healthy diet has worked for human weight control since the beginning of time, and the same can be said for maintaining a healthy pet. Pets can not help themselves, thus the importance of pet owners to educate themselves so they at least give their pets a fighting chance.

via dogflu.ca