While overweight or obese cats
and dogs face many health risks--including diabetes, arthritis, skin problems, high
blood pressure, orthopedic issues, cancer, and other diseases--the good news is
diet and nutrition can help get your
petโs shape and health back on track.
Are you worried your cat or dog is overweight or obese? Has your
vet told you your pet needs to shed some pounds? Your pal is not
alone: An estimated 93 million--or 54 percent of--cats and dogs in
the United States are overweight or obese, according to the
Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.
How to Tell If Your Cat or Dog Is Overweight
Are you able to feel your animalโs backbone and ribs without
applying noticeable pressure? When you slide your fingers, pressing
lightly, in the direction your petโs coat grows in, can you feel
your loved oneโs ribs easily?
Observing your pet from overhead,
do you notice a narrowing between the bottom of the rib cage and
the hips, akin to a waist? Take a sideways look. Do you notice your
dogโs middle rises up from the bottom of the ribs to inside the
thighs? If you answered โnoโ to any of these, your pet may be
overweight or obese.
Causes of Obesity in Cats and Dogs
The main cause of obesity in canines and felines is a
combination of consuming more food than is necessary and
exercising less than is necessary. Neutering, gender,
genetics, lifestyle, and aging are also risk factors.
- For dogs, obesity has been linked to the number of meals and
snacks fed, the petโs presence when humans are eating their food,
receiving human food during mealtimes, and not surprisingly, the
makeup of the dog food.
- With cats, obesity has been associated with being able to graze
on their food freely without any limitations, inconsistent feeding
routines, and owners who overfeed them when they arenโt
hungry.
Nutrition to Help Cats and Dogs Lose Weight
The best way to work off the weight? Consult your vet for a diet
and exercise plan to get your pal get in shape.
Here are some handy guidelines for buying food for overweight
pets--look for these percentages of protein, fat, and fiber in the
food:
For Dogs
|
Protein
|
Fat
|
Fiber
|
|
Dry Food
|
24% or more
|
Less than 12%
|
6% or more
|
|
Wet Food
|
6% or more
|
Less than 3%
|
2% or more
|
For Cats
|
Protein
|
Fat
|
Fiber
|
|
Dry Food
|
30% or more
|
Less than 14%
|
6% or more
|
|
Wet Food
|
7% or more
|
Less than 4%
|
2% or more
|
- Upping the fiber content as shown above may help, as it has
been shown to help your pet feel full.
- Supplementing your petโs meals with L-carnitine (an amino acid
that sustains lean mass and lowers body
fat) may be recommended. You can give your pet 5-10 mg of
L-carnitine per kg of their body weight daily.
Practices to Help Your Pet Lose Weight
While your vet can recommend specific pet food and offer feeding
guidelines, these are some general rules you can follow to
establish healthy routines for your cat or dog:
- When selecting commercially prepared food, look for the labels
โcomplete and balanced nutritionโ and โmeets the nutritional
requirements established by the American Association of Feed
Control Officials.โ
- Practice portion control by offering the right serving size,
with the help of a vet or certified veterinary nutritionist or by
using the instructions typically included on store-bought food as a
guide. Leave only that amount out, without letting your pet eat as
they please from a larger portion!
- Donโt eat your meals in front of your animal.
- Reduce or eliminate treats.
- Offer praise and attention that donโt revolve around meals and
treats.
- Build ample opportunities for exercising into your loved oneโs
day. Since exercising burns calories, lowers appetite, and boosts
metabolism, it helps pets shed pounds and prevents weight from
creeping back on.
- For cats, you may need to limit their ability to hunt
outdoorsโwhich may be contributing to their excess of food
intake.
As with humans, the process of weight loss should be gradual.
Once the desired weight is achieved, regularly weighing your pet is
advised to maintain a healthy size.
6 Smart Tips to Help Your Pet Lose
Weight
We know that change can often be a bitter pill
to swallow, but the silver lining? All of these adjustments are
fairly simple, and if you are able to successfully implement them,
you might end up dropping some pant sizes as well.
Here are 6 simple pet weight loss tips to get started.
1. Talk to your vet about
finding the right low-cal food
Many of your run of the mill dog foods contain tons of fillers,
and a dearth of nutrients, meaning a change in diet can often be a
big first step in losing weight. However, when it comes to diet,
there is not one catch all answer to every problem. Pets come in
such a wide array of shapes and sizes that finding the right food
for them is a matter of understanding their specific needs. Contact
your vet to find out what food suits your dog best.
RELATED STORY: Your Dog Food
Questions Answered
2. Serve up the pet chow with a measuring
cup
Arguably the simplest weight loss change you could ever make,
rather than using a scoop or a plastic cup to dish out your pet's
dinner, use a measuring cup to help monitor the exact amount you
feed them per meal. Overfeeding is one of the
leading causes of obesity in pets. Check the label on the side
of the bag and make sure to dole out the recommended serving size
and no more.
3. Veggies > treats
Next time you are tempted to give your pet a biscuit, why not
give them a baby carrot instead? Or how about a little broccoli?
Even an apple is a good substitute for those high carb, high
calorie treats. Just make sure you know what veggies are safe
for dogs and cats before giving them
anything from the crisper drawer.
4. 20 extra minutes of daily play
time
If your pet is overweight, chances are it is more than just a
dietary problem. So however long you normally play with your
pet, add an extra 20 minutes to that time every day. Play a
little fetch or some tug of war -- anything to get your pet moving
and burning up some of those extra calories.
5. Add a couple blocks to your
walk
Another simple and effective way to help your dog burn off some
of their extra weight is to make their daily walk a few feet
longer. Depending on how big your dog is, adding as
little as one extra block to their daily walk can end up making a
big difference.
6. Weekly weigh-ins
If you really want to help your pet lose weight, it helps to be
able to track your progress. With a weekly weight in, you are
better able to understand what is working for them, where you need
to step it up, and how far you have come.
What Do You Think?
Got any pet weight loss
tips of your own? Share them with us in the comments
section! We would love to hear from you.
More on Healthy Weight for Pets
Proper Dog Weight by Breed: A
Reference Chart
Try the Tool: Enter Your Dog's Weight to
See Results
Keeping Your Cat a Healthy Weight
This information is for informational purposes only and is
not meant as a substitute for the professional advice of, or
diagnosis or treatment by, your veterinarian. It has however been
reviewed for accuracy by Dr.
Joe, a board certified veterinary nutritionist and graduate of
Cornell University's program for Veterinary Medicine.
