Just like with people, being overweight can have a negative impact on a dog’s health. Preparing the right diet and amount of food to give them can sometimes be, however, like pure alchemy, and so your dog can start to become obese. If this is the case for your pet, there are a couple of tips to help you fight this condition.
A month ago I wrote how you can tell if your dog is overweight. As I promised, today I want to take a closer look at how we can fix this problem. We certainly don’t want to underestimate it. Whether for people or dogs, obesity is more common with advancing age and more pronounced in females than males. For prevention in these groups, we should be more rigorous in determining the correct proportion of receiving and expending energy.
In addition to restricting movement, being overweight affects the vitality of a dog, which can lead to the onset of various illnesses. These include inflammation of joints, ligament damage or hotplates in the spine, and the animals are also at risk from circulatory and respiratory problems or heart disease. The possibility of cancer and skin diseases also appreciably increase. Having an obese four-legged companion is nothing to shrug off.
When you notice your dog is obese and decide to tackle the problem, it’s best to first visit a veterinarian before changing their diet and regimen for a complete examination to rule out any damage to internal organs – obesity can be mistaken for the retention of fluid in tissues that accompanies heart and kidney disease or hormonal imbalances.
Again, just like with people, this problem in dogs needs to be handled individually. Generally, however, it requires a reduction in the intake of fats and carbohydrates (sugars and starches) and replacing them with indigestible fiber (this accelerates the movement of the contents of the digestive tract, thus reducing the absorption of sugars) and high-quality, easily digestible proteins (which in turn accelerate fat burning).
These days, there are lots of feeds aimed at weight reduction, generally designated as WEIGHT LOSS or LIGHT. Makers are also thinking of the increased risk of obesity in older dogs and so are adapting contents for seniors. Such food has a balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, so these do not need to be further supplemented. This balance and the desired results from it would be seriously undermined.
But don’t worry about your pet suffering from a diet, as the modified food is produced in both dry and moist form. Dietetic sweets without sugar and other stodgy substances are available and do not interfere with the diet when given reasonably.
Individuals, however, can vary in the degree of intensity of metabolism and utilization of food, so the portions of special feeds should be adapted to each dog. The quantity indicated on the product, calculated for the average dog, is a good starting point for determining it. Over time it’s not a problem to figure out whether to increase or decrease it. What’s important is to follow the new regime and not give in to those “puppy dog eyes”.
Of course, movement is part of weight loss. Gradually add to the frequency of walks and store of games and activities to play. But it’s really unhelpful to overwork a dog. Their bodies must get used to movement. Imagine you had to run a marathon every day (when you’re not an athlete).
Temperatures exceed thirty degrees Celsius, but not many people want to stay inside for days. And, to be honest, it often isn't much better inside. However, it's harder for our four-legged friends to bear the heat. How can we relieve them?
Do you have a pregnant cat at home? Is this stage slowly coming to an end and you are starting to panic about the birth? Let me take you through it from the beginning to the end. Let's take a look at when it is necessary to intervene, when the help...
July is the time to prepare for autumn kittens. It's good to remind ourselves what cat pregnancy entails, when and how to prevent it and why.
Outside temperatures suggest that the boater season is just behind the corner. Many people take their family and children on a water adventure. Some boaters even take their four-legged friends along. What can you do to make sure your trip goes...
In the summer, most of us move to the garden, whether at our home or cottage. Of course, we also want to let our rodent friends loose, and simply bringing the cage out won't do it. How can we make a comfortable, safe outdoor enclosure?
Does your cat wander outside? Are you tired of constant meowing and scratching on doors, or constantly opened windows? Then it's time to get your cat a door.
The nutrient requirements of each dog varies depending on its age, physical condition, lifestyle and size. There are many aspects, and you need to take them all into account when choosing your food.
Cats can take a cold a lot harder than we do. For them it's a relatively serious and very contagious viral disease. A cat cold is a combination of diseases, whose symptoms include a cold.
What elements play an important role in cat nutrition, why do they need them and in what proportion should they get them? This is the alchemy behind the preparation of quality cat food.
Although traveling is fun, it can also be stressful. We have to make sure we don't forget anything and that everything goes according to plan. But what if you decide to travel with your little friend, a guinea pig? Let's take a look at what you...
It is a well-known fact about cats that they like lying in the sunlight. However, that doesn’t mean they are never hot and the risk of overheating is not real for them.
The fact that there are different cans and dry food for dogs and cats is not a marketing stunt. Both beasts have their specific nutrition needs which vary in certain aspects and if you give them the wrong food, they will start suffering quite soon.
