Natural Pet Health

One of the top nutritional diseases in dogs in the US today is obesity. Obesity is the direct result of a dog taking in more calories than it is burning. Dogs naturally only eat until their hunger has been satisfied, this is due to a built-in control mechanism that tells a dog when they have taken in enough calories required for their daily needs. Although, this mechanism can be upset or thrown off balance due to feeding the dog foods that are highly palatable, a dog will then eat to satisfy its appetite instead of his hunger. One of the best ways to move this unwanted fat is by reversing the process in which the weight was put on, which is to feed the dog less calories than it will use for energy that day.

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.

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.

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?

Just as with you and I, your pets age is a consideration that must be thought about as your dog matures. It is easy to overlook, especially if your dog is in its prime, however, your aging animal has new needs that must be met just as with any other aging animal or human being.

A change in lifestyle, preventive measures and lots of love can help your dog in its journey from “prime time” to “down time”. First, just how old is your dog – really?

Depending on the breed and size, your pet may have a life expectancy from around eight years(for most of the giant breeds) to fourteen or more(for the toy/smaller breeds). Keep in mind that these are only approximations- your pet, depending on its health and quality of life could live longer(or shorter) than these figures. Most dogs fall anywhere between these two.

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:

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.

He’s not fat, he’s fluffy. That’s what you keep telling yourself anyways. However, the reality is your dog is obese. This is a medical condition that should be taken seriously. Fat dogs are more at risk in surgery, more prone to heat related stress, more prone to injury, and have more stress on their heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and joints.

A sign of obesity is heavy fat over the ribs, along the spine and around the tail head. On a fit dog, you should be able to see their waist when looking at them from above & their tummy should be tucked up when looking at their profile.