In the wild, animals will naturally eat what they need and no more. The task of searching for food and other basic necessities involves lots of exercise and so wild animals remain naturally fit and healthy.
The food available to them in their natural habitat is perfectly designed to meet their needs in an environment that has not been tampered with.
Domestic animals are provided with food which they do not have to hunt for and which is not always suited for their bodies. In addition, they are often exposed to a lifestyle which contributes to sluggish metabolism, underactive thyroids and livers which are not able to remove toxins or eliminate unwanted fat from their bodies.
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Posted on 2009 under Cat Obesity, Dog Obesity | 31 May
Obesity has not only become a pandemic among humans, but pets as well. Weight gain can be attributed to over-eating, lack of exercise, genetics, and health conditions. Obesity in pets is more than a problem, it is becoming a lifestyle. To combat the effects of obesity in pets, here are some suggestions.
Pets that are obese can develop a myriad of problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, and skin conditions. To determine the appropriate weight for your pet, visit your vet. He can ascertain the ideal weight for your pet based on breed, bone structure, and type of body.
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Are you concerned your pet is getting a bit large?
Recent research indicates that as many as 25 percent of cats and dogs in the Western world are overweight. It seems that our pets are subject to similar situations, that we as humans are being introduced to. Weight issues are not only a concern for us but we need to keep our pets within their limits as well.
Here are 4 steps to start with that give you a good guideline as to where to begin in helping your pet obtain as well as maintain its optimum weight.
1) Is your pet actually overweight?
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Humans are not the only species to be suffering an obesity epidemic in certain parts of the world. Our pampered pets are also getting fat, with some estimates putting the level of obesity amongst dogs and cats at around 25%. It is accepted that being clinically obese can lead to medical problems in humans, and this too is true for our pets.
Arthritis, heart disease, bladder problems and diabetes are just some of the ailments our pets can suffer from if they are predisposed to it by their weight problem. Also, obese pets experience fatigue, exercise intolerance and heat intolerance leading to a poor overall quality of life.
Quite often overweight owners will have overweight pets. For dogs, this derives from 3 likelihoods:
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The continuing trend in the upward weight spiral isn’t restricted to the human population anymore. While we recently reported that more than 60 percent of men and women are overweight or obese in this country alone, studies also indicate that that canine obesity is certainly a significant problem in the United States.
Studies indicate that a staggering 40 percent of domesticated canines in the United States are considered overweight, a term applied when a dog is anywhere from 5 to 20 percent over the ideal body weight for its size and breed.
Excessive weight and obesity in dogs pose significant health threats, as well as affect their quality of life on a day-to-day basis. When a pet is overweight, they have to exert more energy just to move around.
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