After all, we love our pets and we like to treat them; whether it's to the leftovers from our plates or maybe some extra biscuits in their bowl. But, just like humans, all these treats add up and can cause many health issues including diabetes, heart disease, breathing problems and even cancer.
There are three simple checks that you can do to tell for yourself if your pet is overweight:
- You should be able to see and feel your pet's ribs.
- You should be able to see and feel your pet's waist, and this should be visible from above.
- Your pet's belly should be tucked up when viewed from the side.
If your pet doesn't pass any of these, then it is highly recommended that you take them to a vet as they can give you the right advice on how to help your pet lose weight. While the obvious method would be to exercise them more and to cut down on their food, be aware that any sudden or drastic changes may actually end up doing more harm than good.
Of course, if your pet is at a healthy weight it is important to maintain this, which you can do by making sure that you follow these tips:
- Limit treats. While a small pile of leftovers from your plate may not seem like much, it may be a fairly substantial meal for a smaller breed of dog or a cat. Also, many owners tend to give things like chicken skin or bacon rind to their pets, and these are simply chock full of fat.
- Get plenty of exercise! Most dogs should be exercised every day, with many breeds needing it twice or more a day. While a quick jaunt around your local area is good, why not take them a little further afield once a week or so? Cats are a little more difficult to exercise, so you may want to invest in a few cat toys and try to engage them in some vigorous play each night, even if they've been outside during the day.
- Feed them the right amounts. All pet foods will have feeding guidance somewhere on the packaging, so make sure that you're not overfeeding your pets at dinner time. Cats can be a real nuisance for this, as many will pester for food throughout the day (I know mine do!). As long as they're getting fed their recommended amount, going a few hours without some biscuits won't do them any harm!
We all know just how important our pet's health is to us, so follow our tips and hopefully we won't be hearing any more stories like the one above! Oh, and remember that The Pet Express has everything you need to keep your pet healthy; whether it's high quality dog and puppy food or fun cat toys to keep your felines entertained!
Finally, like always, we love to hear from you guys so be sure to get in touch with us if you have any great tips for keeping your pets slim and trim! Simply post them in the comments below or chat to us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ and we'll share the best ones!
