The dangers and causes of obesity

Obesity is mainly caused by overnutrition and lack of exercise. Homemade feeds are more likely to make pets fat than professional diets. Obese dogs are prone to circulatory and respiratory diseases. Their tolerance for exercise and resistance to infection may also be reduced. Obesity in dogs can cause diabetes, liver disease, arthritis, allergies, skin diseases, etc. Obesity in cats can lead to urinary disease, diabetes, liver disease, and make grooming more difficult, which can lead to skin disease. Moreover, veterinarians will encounter a lot of inconvenience when conducting routine examinations and diagnoses on obese pets. They are at higher risk for complications during anesthesia and surgery, and are more likely to have wounds that collapse after surgery.

Some pets' obesity is not seasonal, but develops during the growth period. They also need to lose weight. Generally speaking, obese animals will enter a stage of appetite at a certain point in their lives and eat more than their bodies need. The energy taken in will be deposited into fat and increase weight. During the subsequent quiescent phase of appetite, fat is conserved, but weight remains relatively stable even when appetite is normal or even decreased. Situations like this can confuse some pet owners and find it difficult to understand why their pet is overweight even if he or she is not overeating. Dogs and cats that are overweight from childhood often lead to adult obesity because excessive diet during growth causes an irreversible increase in the number of fat cells, and adult pets increase the size of these cells. Obese puppies will develop the habit of constantly begging for food as adults.

How to tell if your dog is overweight?

Some dogs and cats are very overweight, while others are not easy to tell. Weight is a useful indicator. It is generally believed that an animal whose body weight exceeds 15% of its normal ideal body weight is considered overweight. Standard body weights for purebred dogs can be used as a good basis for determining "ideal" weight, but may not necessarily apply to crossbreeds. Most healthy cats weigh between 3 and 5 kilograms, but some larger-boned cats, especially castrated males, are heavier.

In a normal animal, you should just be able to feel the ribs under a not too thick layer of fat, and when looking from top to bottom you should see a distinct "girdle line" behind the rib cage. Obese animals have no waistline because the layer of fat beneath the skin thickens. Cat fat usually accumulates in the groin to form an "apron." Obese dogs and cats have bloated bellies due to the accumulation of large amounts of fat in their abdomens. Your veterinarian will differentiate between obesity and other factors such as pregnancy, ascites, or enlarged abdominal organs.

Weight loss plan for dogs

Ask your veterinarian

Ask your veterinarian for advice before implementing a weight loss plan for obese animals. Physical exam, your pet may need medication, it may be an underlying disease that causes weight gain. Your veterinarian will use techniques to determine if your pet is obese.

Determine goals

Understand your pet’s ideal weight. Remember, your initial weight goal can be your ideal weight or a 15% reduction from your current body weight.

Place a meal plan

Weight loss can be achieved by reducing the caloric energy content of food in a controlled manner. For this reason, you can use commercially available low-calorie pet food, or reduce the original food intake. You should try your eating plan a few times before finalizing it. The chosen feeding program should be followed for a minimum of two weeks, with further reductions in feed based on results.

The dog's weight loss plan is to feed 40% of the calories needed to maintain target weight every day for 12-14 weeks. The caloric content of the food fed to the cat should be 60% of the amount required to reach the target weight, and the weight loss time should be 18 weeks. Never adopt an overly strict weight loss program for your cat as this is potentially dangerous and may even have fatal consequences. Divide food into two or three small portions each day. This reduces hunger and allows each meal to be fully consumed. During the weight loss phase, your pet will definitely feel hungry. No matter how pitiful it looks begging for food, don't give in! Explain this principle to your friends and neighbors as well, convincing them that it's in your pet's best interest.

Weigh yourself regularly

Pet weight loss plan should be followed carefully. Weigh once a week, preferably at the same time of day using the same weighing machine. Displaying weight changes in a time-coordinated chart can boost your confidence and motivation. Pay attention to your pet's expression and touch the fat layer regularly. Consult your veterinarian regularly to determine if you need to modify your weight loss plan.

Participate in more exercise

Although it is impossible for most animals to lose weight through exercise alone, a gradual increase in exercise should be encouraged. Never force a severely overweight dog to exercise excessively, as this may put unbearable stress on the heart and lungs. Dogs that are 25% over their target weight should be taken for a slow walk every day. Be careful not to allow cats to obtain extra food through foraging in the wild, hunting, or begging from neighbors.

Prevent rebound

Once your pet reaches the target weight, be careful to maintain the ideal weight. For dogs that are prone to obesity, it is best to feed branded food and pay attention to their weight to find the most suitable amount of food. Instead of falling back into the same habit of overfeeding, adjust your diet according to your activity level.