If your pet could stand to lose a few pounds, do what you can to help them shed some weight. You may be surprised by how weight loss can impact your dog or cat's behavior, habits, and personality--many may act years younger! Furthermore, shedding some weight can make your beloved pet much less prone to debilitating illness or disease.
Use the following tips to start trimming down your dog or cat:
Rule out any medical condition. Take your pet to their vet before a weight-loss regimen to rule out any serious medical issues that could be impacting our pet's weight. Dogs can lose weight quicker than cats, and any dramatic weight loss should be relayed to your veterinary provider. A cat that loses a significant number of pounds quickly could be suffering from liver disease or serious illness.
Pay attention to portions. Most pet-owners feed their pets too much. Many leave bowls of food out for pets to graze on as they wish, which could be contributing to a chubby canine or fat cat. Use these tips to control what your pet is consuming, as well as how much.
- Buy and use only high-quality food that will provide daily nutrients without the chemicals and additives that could be unhealthy.
- Feed your dog or cat the daily vet-recommended amount of food twice daily and don't leave kibble for pets to snack on throughout the day.
- Supplement your pet's meals with healthy, non-processed snacks. For example, give dogs rice cakes or fresh green-beans, while you may give cats steamed broccoli or lettuce.
Get your pet to move more. Another way to gently nudge your pet into losing a few pounds is by getting them to move more. You may also notice that a sedentary pet can demonstrate problematic behaviors around the house. Get your pet moving with these tips:
- Integrate a brisk walk into your daily schedule and you may notice a difference in your dog's behavior.
- Move your pet's food dish up high or somewhere that will force your pet to walk a few extra feet to reach. Make sure to show the new location to your pet several times.
- A great way to exercise your dog or cat is to get down on the floor and play with them! Pets enjoy the interaction and it can put you in a good mood, as well.
Use these tips to help your dog or cat shed unwanted pounds. Talk to your veterinary provider about any dramatic weight gain or loss, as this could be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
