According to the Association for Pet Obesity Management, an estimated 54% of dogs and cats in the Unites States are overweight.
Weight management is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle for your pets at home. Overweight animals are predisposed to several health conditions, including high blood pressure, arthritis, endocrine disorders such as diabetes, and hypothyroidism.
Here are some tips to help an overweight dog lose weight in a healthy and safe way:
Diet
Providing a healthy and well balanced diet is essential to your pet’s overall health. However, finding the right food for your dog can be a challenging process.
Many commercial dog companies offer weight loss diets, but it is important to evaluate food labels for adequate nutritional content. You want to ensure you are not missing other essential vitamin or mineral content. Volume of food is also important and the amount of food that works for one breed of dog may not be the same for another breed of dog. Portion control as opposed to free-choice feeding can help your dog to drop a few unnecessary pounds.
There are also prescription weight loss foods designed by veterinary nutritionists, such as Hill’s r/d.
Some pet owners find that home cooking is the best option for helping to provide a well-balanced and realistic diet plan. There are websites such as balanceit.com that offer recipes to fit your dog’s specific needs.
Finally, consulting with your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist to find the appropriate diet is a great way to help your dog be as healthy as possible.
Exercise
Another great way to help your dog lose weight is through exercise. Running, walking or playing with your dog’s favorite toy are all wonderful exercises for your canine friend.
For pet owners with very busy schedules, utilizing professional dog walking services or playtime through dog daycare services is another option.
Pet owners that exercise regularly with their dogs generally live healthier lifestyles.
Physical therapy
As animals age, pet owners often find their favorite canines having more difficulty walking and with a dwindling desire to play with toys.
Physical therapy, specifically hydrotherapy, is a wonderful way to help older and arthritic animals gain more mobility and lose weight. Hydrotherapy has been proven to have several therapeutic effects on the body, including muscle strengthening, relief of swelling, decreased joint pain, less stiffness in limbs, improved circulation, weight loss, and increased tissue healing to name a few.
This will ultimately lead to a healthier, more active dog.
Healthy treats
Pet owners love the chance to reward their favorite canine companions with treats, and most dogs jump at the chance to eat these delicious products.
The problem is that many treats, including some commercial dog treats and table scrapes, can add many unnecessary calories to your dog’s daily intake. Reading labels and making note of the calories in these treats is an important part of monitoring your dog’s overall health.
Treats should not exceed more than 10 percent of your pet’s daily calories, and there are healthier treats that can be offered to your pet to keep calories lower yet provide a fuller sensation. You can also add steamed or pureed vegetables, such as carrots, green beans or sweet potato to include more fiber and thus satiate your dog’s appetite.
Vet visit and blood work
Weight gain can also be related to underlying health concerns such as hypothyroidism or other endocrine disorders. So, if you feel that your dog is overweight for no apparent reason, there might be an underlying health condition that needs to be addressed and you should consider scheduling a veterinary evaluation and routine blood work.
Conditions such as hypothyroidism, which predisposes dogs to gain weight, can be treated with daily medication to improve hormonal balance.