As the obesity rate of Americans continues to grow, so does the obesity rate of our pets. Obesity is just as deadly to animals as it is to humans. Is your dog or cat overweight? Excess weight puts your pet at risk for diabetes, heart disease, shortened life, high blood pressure, kidney disease and many forms of cancer. Sound familiar? That’s right – obesity can cause the same problems in our pets that it can for us! Pretty scary, huh?! October 7th, 2015 is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. So get out, take your dog on a walk and start helping your pet lose weight!
Want to start helping your dog or cat lose weight? Here is a weight loss tool you can use! I’m definitely guilty of giving Wynston too much human food and sometimes he gets a tad hefty, but as soon as I cut out human food, he goes back down to a good weight. What can you do to help your dog or cat lose weight? Daily walks and play time are a must, followed by a nutritious, schedule diet. I know how hard it is to say “no” to our begging animals, but we really are doing them a favor. I know I want Wynston, Khloee, Joey and Sadie to be around for a looooong time so I don’t want to do anything that could shorten their lives. If you’re not sure if your pet is overweight, here is a picture guide for you.
Do you have experience with animal obesity? What about a success story? Share it with us!
Kristen–well minded says
Great post, Amanda! I’ll definitely share this. As a professional pet sitter, I see animals in all shapes and sizes. Most often, the shape the humans are in is the same shape the pets are in. It’s definitely a lifestyle thing. A friend of mine has struggled with weight, and she often says “I wish I was a dog so somebody would put me on a diet.” Ha! Our pets are truly at our mercy in this department. Thanks for the great info and infographic!
Amanda says
You are so, so right. You hit the nail right on the head – the shape the humans are in is the same shape the pets are in. People who want/need to lose weight can benefit from giving their dogs more walks and exercise.