A lot of us obsess about our health and weight, but how many of us put as much worry into our pet’s overall health and weight as we do our own? An overweight pet is neither cute nor healthy. Over feeding your pet might just be killing the little guy.
According to a study done by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), around 58 percent of cats and 53 percent of dogs were found to be overweight or obese in 2014. Excessive weight on a pet can led to damage in your pet’s organs, bones and joints. Similar to humans, pets that are overweight can develop diabetes, breathing difficulty, increased risk of cancer, high blood pressure and generally have a shorter lifespan than their fit counterparts.
However, pets, unlike humans, can’t control their obesity on their own. As humans, we are the only ones responsible for our own health, while animals are dependent on their human friend to do the right thing.
I have several pets; you’ve all heard of Caesar and Jeter, my dogs. Among other animals (snakes, a leopard gecko, a rabbit, and a cockatiel); I also have a cat (and that’s what we call her – Cat). When I brought Cat home as a little kitten, I told my boyfriend right off that she was not going to become a fat cat. The average adult house cat is around 8-10 pounds. At nearly three years old, Cat is a solid 9 pounds.
Similar to my dogs, we measure her food in a measuring cup. She gets no more and no less. It doesn’t matter if any of them beg. The answer is no. Food does not equal love.
Caesar, my 8 year old German Shepherd/Australian Cattle Dog mix, has weighed 86-89 pounds since he hit adult age. His weight doesn’t fluctuate much if at all. He’s very high energy and has never had an overweight issue. I realize that not all dogs are this easy to manage.
I know because I have Jeter, my 7 year old Lab/American Bulldog mix. Jeter, when standing on two legs, is almost eye level with me. He’s a big boy. Around four years ago, Jeter grew taller but didn’t quite fill out. At 80 pounds, he was underweight. With a change of food to a better, more nutritious brand, he gained 15 pounds and weighed in at 95 pounds. However, Jeter gained more and more and was 110 pounds by September 2017, when I took him to the vet. The doctor said that Jeter looked great, but that he could stand to lose 10 to 15 pounds. So that’s what we did.
Jeter is not as high energy as Caesar, so I cut back his food intake. Caesar burns more so he needs to eat more. Jeter sleeps more so he eats a little less.
A year later, Jeter lost 13 pounds and was in perfect health! He’s now 97 pounds and it probably added years to his life.
It’s all about figuring out the science of what is right for your dog or cat. One thing is for certain, what’s not right for your pet is being fed treats and human food until they look like a little sausage.
When it comes down to it, I want my dogs to live as long as possible. Does being the correct weight guarantee that they will live to 15? No, but it sure doesn’t hurt. The last thing I want is to see my dogs get a weight related disease or condition that was 100 percent preventable by me. This is the same reason I brush their teeth every night.
Pets don’t have a say in their weight; it’s up to us to care for them properly. Dogs and cats need a well balanced diet, need to be fed the correct amount, and need lots of play time – just like we do.
Of course, always ask your vet before changing your pets’ routine.