Obesity Running Wild In Pets
Obesity is something that is running more and more rampant around the country. What most people don’t know is that pets are having the same problem. “We are seeing so many overweight dogs and cats, and it’s sad because their weight levels are completely manageable with diet changes,” says Dr. Kristine Yee, a veterinarian at California Animal Hospital in Los Angeles.
But pet owners are often slow to admit that their animals need to shed pounds. A 2005 study from pet-food maker Purina found that 60 percent of pets in the U.S. were overweight. But almost half of the owners of overweight pets rated their cats and dogs as having the “ideal” body condition.
Pet obesity can be a sensitive issue, says Susan Davis, a pet nutritionist based in Lake Forest, California, who has helped many pets trim down. Because some owners treat their pets like their children, people can take it personally when you tell them they have an overweight animal. But pet obesity isn’t just about looks. Extra weight can lead to myriad health problems and even shorten an animal’s life span.
“Some of the pets I’ve seen have severe respiratory, cardiac, metabolic and orthopedic dysfunction that is drastically worsened by just being obese,” Yee says. One beagle she treated tore a cruciate (knee) ligament three times and had to have multiple surgeries, all because he was carrying too many pounds.
It’s common for people to show their pets love by giving them a lot of food and snacks. They pour on the treats, not realizing that one dog biscuit can be 100 calories. They let cats and dogs feast on the fat of their rib-eye steaks and other scraps from the dinner table. “A lot of owners think their pets are suffering if they aren’t getting table scraps and treats,” Yee says. “But dogs don’t need people food; they’re perfectly happy with their own food.”
As with humans, excessive portions are a main cause of the weight problem. “People don’t use measuring tools most of the time,” says Davis, a certified clinical nutritionist. “They wing it or free-feed their pet, and end up giving them three cups instead of the recommended one-cup serving.” Like people, pets need to stay active, too. This means walking your dog or cat regularly and playing with them, indoors and out.