Pet Obesity

As we all see on the news lately, some splash about the obesity epidemic in people and possible causes, etc. more notice is being brought to the problem of pet obesity also.Obesity has become an important health issue not only for us but for our fur family also.

According to a 2009 study, it was estimated that 89 million US dogs and cats are overweight. While they estimated that 26 million are obese. Unfortunately many will state that obesity is more complicated than intake and output or exercise. And obesity for pets is also being labeled a disease. I have a problem with labeling it a disease, for our pets it is not caused by a virus or germ, it is due to improper diet and exercise, period. Ok, I might concede that some obesity issues for animals may be caused by hormones such as thyroid dysfunction or diabetes.

Numerous health problems can be associated with obesity. They can range from Diabetes, insulin resistance, joint problems, skin problems, respiratory issues, heart disease, cancer, and decreased life span.

However, the majority of our overweight pets falls back on the owner. Much is due to the poor foods that are commercially available to us now. Many are full of fillers and cereals with very little real protein that can be used by the body. And food that is filler or not able to be used immediately for proper body function is either stored as fat or excreted. And the animal because they aren't getting the nutrition they need to keep up energy and body function, are always hungry, or you have to feed more. And then with all the carbs, they might have a sugar high for a bit and be active, but that wears off quickly and they slow down and sleep a lot. Carbs are converted to sugars. And if they aren't used right away they are stored in the fat cells.

Many Vets and articles state to reduce caloric intake and increase exercise. However, this really doesn't benefit them either. Feeding a correct, species appropriate diet is the answer. For cats, they are obligate carnivores, therefore they aren't "carbi"vores. Their systems are set up to get their needed nutrition from hunting and eating meat. Have you ever seen a cat stalk a wheat stalk? And contrary to popular belief, they don't get carbs from eating the digestive tract of their victims. Have you ever really paid attention to what is left behind when your cat ate a mouse or bird? They will not eat the digestive tract. Dogs are primarily carnivores, but are also opportunistic eaters. They will eat some vegetation, but they aren't built either to eat grains. And they really cannot digest them. A excellent site that talks about feline nutrition is by Dr. Lisa Pierson, DVM. And doing a google search on "species appropriate pet food" will give you many links on foods for dogs. However the best is one called BARF.

I also can tell you first hand that when I changed my cats (who were all overweight) to raw (which they absolutely love) or a good meat based canned, they lost weight on their own and their energy levels picked up so they were running and playing more. My dogs also profited from being fed better food without grains. And feeding correctly has helped extend their lives and be much healthier, happier, and more active. And don't worry, they will lose weight and reach the proper level of weight for them. Their coats will be sleeker and softer, they will be more engaging, active and attentive. And... the very best benefits, because they utilize more of their food, there is less waste and no odor. Odor in the stool comes from feeding fillers that they cannot digest and therefore are basically toxins then. Hey everyone likes less poo to clean up right? And having less odor is so much better! :)