Monday, June 8, 2009

Combatting obesity in pets

What can you do when your dog or cat is overweight? Because many owners feed their pets “treats” from the table, and often leave out an indiscriminate quantity of dry food for their cat or dog to munch on the whole day, many pets start gaining weight. This can lead to a whole host of problems: sluggishness, arthritis and other joint-related problems, an increased risk of a heart attack and in general a shorter lifespan. One major contributing factor to overweight pets is a lack of activity. Owners can become too busy at work, and fail to prioritize spending time playing with their pet. And sometimes, owners will adopt an enormous dog like a Malamute or a St. Bernard, and keep them fenced in within a tiny, enclosed space with no room to run around. To help your pet lose weight, consider switching him to a reduced calorie diet with the “light” moniker. Then, spend some more time with your pet, throwing a ball, running on the beach, and going for walks. Not only will it benefit your pet, it will probably be a lot of fun for you as well.