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).
Have you ever watched your cat and asked yourself what it might be thinking? It sometimes seems that these furry friends enjoy situations in which you don’t know if they love your or want to claw your eyes out. They only sit and watch you from a...
These special dogs were bred and raised specifically for hunting of puffins and guillemots (water birds). For this reason, they have several very specific and for their purpose very practical physical deviations. For example, they have extremely...
They say there aren’t many activities as relaxing as fishing. And it’s no longer true that fishing is only for men. When my friend told me she takes her dog for fishing, I was really surprised. And I immediately had to question her about how it...
If you like small dogs, it will be easy for you to fall in love with pomeranians. Not only they look like teddy bears with a nice face and look, they will also impress you with their nature. They belong to sociable dog breeds rightfully. Besides their...
Living with dogs is such a natural thing for us dog lovers that we sometimes treat them more like people. We love them, we nurture them but we may sometimes care a bit too much and unintentionally harm our furry friends. Such cases include wrong fur...
Miniature pinscher is also called min pin or German pinscher. There is a great personality with a big heart inside its little body. It is a big warrior,sports dog and a tourist. Perfect sports for this breed are for example dog dancing or agility where...
Some animals are simply talented for water sports. Already as a puppy, Ricochet grabbed people’s attention for her confidence she jumped into sea waves with. Later on, she became a dog hero helping disabled and a role model for many enthusiasts who...
While in the wildlife, their diet depends on natural instincts, rodents kept by humans and other small animals require a regular and balanced diet. What should rodent’s diet include and what should it avoid? What food is dangerous/safe for it? And what...
If you wish to do sports with your dog, you should at first think about if it’s right for you pet, no matter if you want to do it for leisure or top-level. And not only from the point of view of your pet’s nature but also of its physical predispositions.
Have you ever discussed whether a cat or a dog is more intelligent with your friends? Reportedly, scientists already know the answer. In this article, I mention a few facts and observations from a recently published research paper on this topic.
Cats can handle a new human in your family very badly. They are more sensitive to the changes than dogs. Are you interested in what you can do to enjoy this time and not to deal with the problems with your cat?
Are you considering getting a rodent as your new pet but you are afraid it won’t be doing good with your dog under one roof? Don’t be afraid, dogs and rodents can do great together. It is important to teach your dog from an early age that other animals...
