Pet Obesity: What Is Pet Obesity And How Can We Prevent It In Houston, TX?
What is Pet Obesity?
Pet obesity refers to when your pet has excess body fat. When your pet’s weight is 20%-30% higher than its ideal body weight, he is obese. Obesity in pets is quite severe because it causes a lot of aches and discomfort. It could also lead to some severe health challenges for your pet. Sadly though, an estimated 59% of all pets are overweight.
Causes of Obesity:
Overfeeding: Excessive portion sizes, i.e., not following the quantity prescribed on the food package, high-calorie diets, frequent treats, and table scraps are the leading causes of Obesity.
Aging and lack of exercise: A reduction in exercise due to arthritis or another aging condition and a natural slowing of their metabolism can cause Obesity in your pet.
Underactive thyroid refers to a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce sufficient thyroid hormone. This hormone slows down and regulates metabolism.
A tumor causes Cushing’s Disease on the pituitary or adrenal glands, which causes an overproduction of hormones (typically cortisol) and increased hunger, leading to Obesity.
Medical conditions associated with Pet obesity.
Arthritis: Excess weight puts additional strain on a pet’s joints. When a joint is overworked, the cartilage deteriorates, resulting in arthritis.
Diabetes.
High blood pressure/Hypertension.
Kidney disease: Hypertension directly impacts the kidney because the kidney gets almost one-quarter of the blood pumped by the heart.
Skin condition.
Cancer.
Factors that could make your pet (Dog) prone to Obesity.
Breed – Certain dog breeds have a higher risk of being obese. Pugs, Cairn terriers, Shetland sheepdogs, Basset hounds, Dachshunds, Labrador Retrievers, Beagles, Bulldogs, and Golden retrievers are some of the breeds prone to Obesity.
Age.
Neuter status.
Sex – Aside from older dogs, Obesity is more common in females.
Owner – An obese dog owner is more likely to have an obese dog, perhaps because he may not be able to detect Obesity.
How to Prevent Obesity
Always measure your pet’s food: Excessive portion size (overfeeding) is a primary cause of Obesity in the first place. If you measure your pet’s food, follow the instructions on the food pack and diligently ensure you do not measure above the prescribed calorie, your pet would feed just the right amount needed for health and development.
Exercise daily and regularly: Just as exercise is crucial to being fit and staying healthy, so is it with your pet. Several opportunities present themselves to us that encourage exercise. For instance, when meeting up for pet-friendly social activities, try incorporating your pet into your workout regimen or finding alternatives such as strolling to brunches or parks with your pet. For our feline friends, playing with toys in the house is a form of good exercise.
Please keep track of your pet’s weight: It is pretty easy for your pet’s weight to creep up without you knowing. Weight gain in your pet can be prevented if you keep track of your pet’s weight by entering his weekly or monthly weight into a log.
Meet with your vet: If you are concerned about your pet’s weight, speak with your vet for an alternative feeding plan or a checkup.
Searching for an animal hospital in Houston, Texas, contact or visit Safari veterinary care center, often referred to as stem cell safari, to get your pet checked by professionals.
Safari vet is not only an affordable pet clinic in Houston, Texas but also possesses some of the best veterinarians in Houston, Texas. We are also one of the best Stem Cell Therapy Clinic In Texas.
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