Did you know that almost half of the pets in Pakistan are overweight or obese? Many of us don’t realize that our dog is overweight because the weight gain often takes place gradually over time and is easy to overlook. Even though you may think cuddly is cute, just a few extra kilos can really add up to some serious health issues.
Even if you’ve noticed your dog is carrying a few extra kilos, you may not be aware of how much it can affect his health. Being as little as 20% overweight can greatly increase the risk of your dog developing serious health conditions such as diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, urinary stones, or heart disease.
Plus, excess weight can not only have a negative impact on your dog’s general wellbeing, happiness, and overall quality of life, but it can also significantly shorten his life expectancy compared to a healthy-weight pet.
Your dog may look just fine to you, but ideal weight varies by size and breed. Your veterinarian will be able to tell you what your dog’s ideal weight is. Between check-ups, you can still assess if your dog is maintaining a healthy weight. Place your hand on his side, and if his ribs are hard to feel or even impossible to feel, he’s likely overweight.
Here are some other signs of obesity you may notice:
Weight gain is the result of an increase in body fat. This is usually caused by eating too much, especially when combined with lack of exercise. But there can be other contributing factors, too.
Older dogs are less active, have less energy, and require fewer calories, which is why nutrition formulated for his age is vital to his weight and overall health.
Some dog breeds are more likely to gain weight
Whilst responsible, clinical studies have shown that the basic metabolism of neutered dogs is lower, and they require few calories
Very occasionally weight gain is associated with a medical disorder that may require specific treatment
Dogs with unlimited access to food understandably eat more than they need — this includes table scraps from family members
Many commercial foods are loaded with salt and fat, which can improve taste but make your dog want to gorge
As well as feeding your dog the correct nutrition, promoting regular exercise will help the process of healthy weight loss. Here are a few workout tips for exercises you and your dog can do together.
Get your dog walking on different surfaces such as sand, shallow water of fallen leaves. Consider using obstacles such as benches, trees, ditches or fallen tree trunks as a natural obstacle course to jump over, crawl under or balance on.
Always a firm favorite! Throwing a ball or toy is a great exercise for your dog – and not too strenuous for you. For a more challenging game of fetch, use steep banks (outdoors) or stairs (indoors) for increased resistance.
Get your kids to set up a “slalom" course –it’s so much fun. Set up low hurdles using a broom stick across buckets, create box tunnels and be imaginative
The food your dog eats directly affects his overall health and well-being. Balanced nutrition is an essential part of an active, healthy lifestyle. Eating too much dog food, snacks or people food can increase weight gain.
Proper nutrition plays a very important role in treating an overweight dog. Ask your vet about Hill’s Metabolic foods which have helped thousands of dogs in South Africa and around the world to lose weight and maintain a healthy & active life.
If your dog is already having trouble with weight problems, there are plenty of things you can do to improve his condition.
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