It seems too many pets may
be influenced by their human parents when it comes to
bad habits with eating. Unfortunately all too many of
our pets are overweight or even obese. Some suggest that
about fifty percent of cats and dogs in the are overweight.
That's a high percentage, too high.
Potential
Health Problems
Just like us humans, when cats and dogs are
overweight their risk of contracting health problems
increases significantly. Health problems can mean conditions
as serious as diabetes or problems with the heart and
kidney. Other common health issues include digestive
problems, a weaker immune system and arthritis. All
of these can have a strong effect on the animal's life
span and quality of life. With all they give to us,
unconditional love and companionship, they deserve a
good quality of life.
Maintaining A Healthy
Weight
The keys to keeping your pet at a healthy weight
are to provide a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Regular exercise for a dog can mean a daily walk or
play time in the back yard or a dog park. When it is
too cold to spend much time outside you can easily find
fun games to play indoors like fetch. For cats going
outdoors can provide them with exercise, although it
can introduce them to other potential problems. Another
great way to get exercise is to play with them indoors.
There are some great cat toys available and by rotating
toys you can keep them more interested in their favorites.
Playing with your pets is a fun way to spend time together
and bond anyway. Plus it can be therapeutic after a
stressful day.
Feeding your cat or dog a complete,
balanced diet is essential for good health and weight
control. To help with this you may want to switch to
a premium pet food. Controlling the amount of food and
feeding two times a day is important too, instead of
feeding them as much as they want. This is especially
important if you have a pet with a weight problem. Some
pets only eat what they need, but many will overeat
for a variety of reasons.
It is good to continually monitor
your pet's weight to make sure they are are at a healthy
weight, not too heavy but not too thin either. Adjust
the amount of food you are feeding accordingly, but
if you notice big changes in your pet's weight or if
your pet is too overweight it is good to work with your
veterinarian to make sure there isn't another problem
that needs to be addressed.
Buying A Premium Pet Food
Feeding a high quality pet food like Wellness
Cat Food or dog food can make a big difference. Many
premium pet foods like this offer extras like Omega
fats, probiotics and supplements for joint support to
help improve your pet's health and keep the immune system
strong. Many holistic pet foods offer these extras as
well.
While a premium
pet food may seem more expensive at first you may find
you save that money on fewer vet visits and fewer health
problems.
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