| |
| |
|
Pets Information |
|
|
|
Fat and Obese Dogs Live Shorter Lives
Obesity is one of the most important health concerns facing dogs. If you love your dog, you should do something about it. Overweight dogs live shorter and less healthy lives and your enjoyment of their precious companionship may be shortened because of it. Extra pounds place an excess burden on bones and joints and can make arthritis problems worse. Overweight dogs are less able to exercise and play comfortably and their breathing can become labored. Their bodies may be less able to resist infections, and they may be at greater risk for problems during surgery and anesthesia. Potential health problems might include: * Joint or Locomotion Difficulties. Extra pounds add stress to joints, bones, ligaments and muscles. Conditions such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, spinal disc disease and ruptures of joint ligaments may be caused or aggravated by obesity. * Heart and Respiratory Disease. Excess fat tissue in the chest cavity and around the muscles of the heart can decrease the efficiency of the heart and lungs. Your dog's heart and lungs have to work harder to provide adequate oxygen and circulation. * Diabetes. Just as in humans, diabetes is much more common in obese dogs. * Liver Disease. Obese dogs are prone to liver disease. * Heat Intolerance. The insulating properties of excessive fat make it harder for obese dogs to tolerate heat and they feel uncomfortable. * Skin Problems. Obese dogs may have trouble grooming because the rolls of skin built up by fat deposits can often harbor dirt, bacteria and other harmful organisms. * Gastrointestinal Disorders. Inflammation of the pancreas is frequently found in obese dogs. It is painful and can be life threatening. How Dogs Become Overweight? Dogs most always become overweight from lack of good exercise and from eating more food than they require. Food calories which aren't burned during their daily activities are stored as fat. Overeating can result from greediness, boredom, or overfeeding. Feeding leftovers or giving frequent snacks or treats often contributes to excess weight problems. Puppies that have been over-fed tend to become overweight dogs. They also have a greater risk of developing orthopedic problems. Properly feed puppies will be less likely to suffer from weight problems later in life. Occasionally, metabolic disorders can cause a dog to become overweight. But overfeeding and under exercising are much more common causes of excess weight. If your veterinarian suspects that a metabolic disorder is causing your dog to gain weight, he or she will test for that disorder and treat it accordingly. How Can I Tell if My Dog is Overweight? A quick check is to feel your dog's ribs with the flat palm of your hand. If you have difficulty feeling his ribs, then your dog probably needs to lose weight. Helping Your Dog Lose Weight. Weight loss for most dogs involves increased exercise and eating food with fewer calories. It's generally easier to feed normal amounts of a low-calorie dog food than to feed much smaller amounts of his/her regular dog food. In addition, your dog will not feel as hungry when fed a normal amount of food. Dieting for Dogs. Your vet will help set a weight goal for your dog and will recommend how much food she should eat each day. A special diet may also be prescribed. The food choice should be designed to satisfy your dog's hunger and give her all the vitamins and minerals she needs for a balanced diet. Your dog may need a gradual transition from the old to the new diet. So, you would feed him increasing amounts of the new diet while decreasing the amounts of the previous diet each day over several days until the transition is complete. To help prevent your dog from begging, feed him before your family eats, and keep him out of the room during your meal. It is also a good idea to feed overweight dogs at the same time as other pets to help prevent food stealing from their slimmer companions. Always provide plenty of clean, fresh drinking water. Regular exercise such as walks or runs is good for most dogs because it increases the number of calories they burn. If your dog is old or in poor health, check with your vet before increasing exercise. The time period your dog will require to lose weight depends upon how much weight she is required to lose. Your dog may need 8 to 14 weeks or longer to reach her target weight. What Type of Dog Food is Good for Weight Control? A dieting dog has special nutritional needs. His diet should be balanced with a proper ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates. The diet should also provide a normal volume of food to help him from feeling hungry. It should also provide the required amount of quality nutrients. Weight loss plans don't need to include high levels of fiber. Fiber is not necessary for weight loss in pets, and in large amounts, it may have side effects such as increased feces and lack of interest in the food because of its poor taste. There are many brands of food that can help your fat dog lose weight. We suggest that you choose a brand with the proper balance of protien, fat and carbohydrate so his or her body can operate at its maximum efficiency while shedding unwanted pounds. Bev Storer is a writer and researcher. For more information about healthy dog foods, please visit http://www.dog-food-zone.com and http://www.healthypetnet.com/citycats .
MORE RESOURCES:
Pets - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Dog Training - Early Training Is Essential Dogs are a fantastic edition to any family but like all youngsters they need training. If you do not train your puppy now it will take a serious amount of help from a training school to get him to be obedient later on. Basic Discus Fish Care Are you thinking about getting some discus then and want to know a little about them. Have you been to the aquatics and seen some lovely colourful discus in there show tanks. Surprising Health Benefits for Pet Owners Did you know that there are key health benefits that canresult from owning a pet? Having one can enhance yourphysical, mental and social wellbeing.1. Herding and the German Shepherd Dog Once other animals such as cattle, sheep and goats became domesticated, man became aware of the dogs herding ability. Tactics used by hunting wolves, witnessed by humans, such as driving and separating one animal from the flock, were further exploited and bred into these dogs. The Case AGAINST Raw Frozen Pet Foods For some 25 years I have alerted the public to the dangers of exclusively feeding heat processed foods. Companion animal feeding has progressed - actually digressed - from table scraps and real foods the family could spare to today's "100 % complete" processed foods in primarily kibble form, with some canned and semi-moist also available. Why the Heck Would You Have a Pet Snake (or lizard, crocodile, monitor, frog, turtle etc)? This is a question that has been asked of me and a thousand (million?) other herp keepers. I think it's almost a case of once bitten, twice as determined. Protecting Your Child from a Dog Bite Dogs make great loyal pets and are always pleased to see their owner; they are loving and have their own distinct personalities. However, every animal has the potential to become aggressive. Female Dog Care As there are certain health issues that affect only the female dog, care should be taken to ensure that these are fully understood before deciding whether or not to buy a bitch.The most important dog health care concern is that of spaying. The TOP 7 Mistakes Horse Owners Make Mistake #7 - Assuming You Can Get On Any Horse And Simply RideNot all horses are the same. Some you can get on and easily ride. Why Does My Pet Eat Grass? Are you concerned when your dog or cat eats grass, then throws up afterwards? You'll probably feel relieved to know that pets eat grass because their bodies need it.Dogs and cats have been eating grass for a long time. How to Maintain Your Love Affair With Your Dog: Part One - Training Training Tips for a Happy and Healthy Relationship with Your Canine CompanionWhen I first laid eyes on my little ball of black fluff at an adoption fair, I knew there was no turning back. My husband and I had been looking for just the right dog for months, and all the research and networking had finally paid off. Choose an Acrylic Bird Cage Congratulations. You've decided to buy a bird, and you even know what kind. Horse Training Facts And Maxims To the uninitiated horse owner, there are timely facts about horses they should know. In fact, when someone first gets a horse these timely facts should be studied and learned. Ten Most Popular Goldfish You can't imagine the kind of varieties of Goldfish there are! People have been breeding Goldfish for over 2000 years now. China is believed to have over 100 varieties and to think that it all began with the Carassius auratus - the gibel carp! Not all goldfish have been bred in China though. Introducing a New Kitten to Your Older Cat. So, you read somewhere that introducing a new kitten into your home could be great for your existing cat, for companionship. And you remember how much fun your cat was when she was a new kitten, and you would love to re-live those days. Training Collars: Teaching Your Dog Basic Obedience and Breaking Bad Habits Training CollarsTraining collars are a tool many pet owners utilize to teach their pets boundaries. There are several different types and several different options available to the consumer. Three Important Litter Box Considerations There are three important litter box considerations to account for whether you're a new kitten owner, or someone who has had a cat for a while. If kitty isn't happy with any or all three of these, you may find she'll start urinating outside the box. Natural Approaches to Dealing With Pesky Fleas Problems with Commercial Flea Killers & TraditionalFlea Bite Treatments***Chemicals that act as poisons are strong enough tokill fleas, but the long term effects on pets areunknown, although they are probably not safe touse. (Employees manufacturing these products mustwear protective clothing and use respirators. Saving Ginger From Being Put To Sleep - Part 1 A family, including three dogs and a cat live happily in a good house with extensive gardens; a great area for the animals to roam and play. By this stage, the kids have grown up, moved away and started their own lives. How to Choose a Pet Did you know that pets outnumber people in the United States? Recent statistics have shown that 62% of homes have a pet, and that 46% of homes have more than one pet. That adds up to 380 million pets in a nation with a human population of 290 million people.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
