Have you ever wondered if you pet is overweight? Well according to a recent survey by the society for pet obesity and prevention, more than half of our dogs and cats can be classified as overweight or obese. Even worse these overweight cats and dogs are prone to a variety of health issues including arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes.
So how can you tell if Fido or Fluffy need to lose some weight? First, bring your pet to a veterinarian. They will be best qualified to determine your pet’s body condition as well as how to get an overweight or obese animal on the right track.
Often this includes getting regular exercise into their routine and changing their diet to something that better suits your pets life stage and lifestyle. There are also ways to gauge your pets body condition in between vet visits right at home.
Try standing above your dog or cat while looking down. If you can’t see your pet’s ribs or feel them when placing your hands on either side of their chest, their probably overweight.
Another thing you can do is use a healthy weight calculator to help you determine your dog or cats body condition. All you have to do is enter your pet’s breed, age and weight and the calculator will give you the results.
If you do suspect something is wrong, it is best to get your dog or cat to the Vet as soon as possible rather than wait until the problem gets worse. You’d be surprised to hear how many people don’t believe pet dog or cat is overweight.
As pet parents, we all want what’s best for our pets. Paying attention to their health will help ensure a long healthy life for years to come.
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