Oops...happy belated National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, one day late! I actually had no idea that this was yesterday. But this morning when I saw Dogster, I thought I should make you all aware as well. The question I get most often is "how much should I feed my dog?", because most people just go by the back of the dog food bag which of course has you feeding way too much to your dog and cat. They are an industry that is trying to make money, so encouraging us to feed more means we use more. Unfortunately for our dogs and cats that means they are a little more plump than they should be.
According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), some 51.5% of dogs and cats (around 89 million) in the United States are overweight or obese. Risks of overweight in pets include:
- Osteoarthritis
- Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart and respiratory disease
- Cranial cruciate ligament injury
- Kidney disease
- Many forms of cancer
On National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, APOP asked dog and cat owners to perform a quick check on their pets and record some simple information. Don't worry it is not too late, you can still contact the APOP and they will send you a kit with a measuring tape, handouts, and instructions. To get these items just phone 910-579-5550 or email DrWard@PetObesityPrevention.com. The data collected can help you and APOP in the mission to keep our pets at a healthy weight.
I hope you all participate and help keep our pets fit and healthy.
