3 Ways to Reduce Obesity in Pets: Get Your Furry Friend Back in Shape
Have you noticed that Fido doesn’t exactly fit into his dog bed anymore? Or perhaps that fluffy isn’t able to clear the couch like she used to? If so, your pets aren’t alone. Obesity in pets is on the rise, and it’s not cool.
According to a survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, pets in the United States’ are becoming obese. In fact, more than half of all cats and dogs in the U.S. are obese or overweight.
Obesity in pets can cause your family pet to experience a number of negative health conditions, such as heart issues and skin diseases as a result of their extra weight. An overweight pet also has a shortened lifespan.
So, if you’re noticing that your little ball of furry joy is getting a bit sluggish, consult the following steps to get her back into a fit and healthy lifestyle:
1. Measure what you feed your pets: Make sure you’re feeding your dog or cat the correct amount of food for his or her size. Overfeeding does not equal love. Veterinarian Dr. Susan Nelson told CBS News that pet treats should not account for more than 10 percent of an animal’s food consumption.
2. Get moving: Dogs and cats need to get at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise a day. So, get out that colorful ball of twine for your cat, or get your dog to the park and get playing!
3. If you know you have a busy week at work ahead, consider enrolling your dog in a doggie day care. Your pet will get to play and socialize with dogs all day long, and will come home exhausted. Day cares typically have varying prices. Before enrolling your pooch, make sure the day care is up to snuff by doing some research on the facility. There are even some day cares that take cats!
If you want to learn more about pet obesity check out PetObesityPrevention.org.
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Resource
“Keeping Your Pet Fit in the City,” PetMD
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