Join Us in Celebrating Pet Obesity Awareness Day by Learning How Weight Affects Your Pet's Health
This year, October 12th is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day. It’s a special day that’s set aside each year to recognize the seriousness of obesity in pets while helping to educate pet owners about how they can help their pets maintain a healthy weight to live long and happy lives.
How Weight Affects Your Pet's Health
Overweight and obese pets face a variety of increased health risks including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Heatstroke
- Bladder stones
- Increased risk during general anesthesia
As a result of the secondary health problems associated with overweight and obese pets, these animals typically do not live as long as pets that are kept at a healthy weight.
How to Tell If Your Pet Is Overweight
Pets are generally smaller than people, and this means it takes fewer extra pounds for them to become overweight. As a result, just a little too much daily food, too little exercise, or too many treats can quickly take a healthy pet into overweight and obese territory.
The best way to recognize when a pet is overweight is during a veterinary appointment. We can weigh your pet and provide you with a ballpark healthy weight for your pet to achieve based on their age, size, and breed.
You can also recognize an overweight pet by the shape of its physique. If a pet is at a healthy weight, its body should become more narrow in front of its hind legs; dogs and cats should not be sausage-shaped.
How to Manage Your Pet's Weight
Like managing weight in people, managing a pet’s weight typically requires a two-pronged approach that combines a better diet with increased exercise.
Our veterinarian can recommend a higher quality pet food, a weight-control pet food, or a prescription diet that can help your pet to reach a healthy weight. We can also talk with you about the best and safest way to start exercising more with your pet. It’s important to start slowly and not do too much too quickly to avoid injuring your pet.
Nutritional Counseling and Prescription Pet Food in Redondo Beach
At Pacific Animal Hospital of Redondo Beach, we’re experienced in helping pets achieve and maintain a healthy weight. We can work with you using prescription pet foods, nutritional counseling, and lifestyle advice to help your pet shed some weight and stay healthy. To learn more or schedule a nutritional counseling appointment, we welcome you to contact our office today.
