Reasons Why Watching Your Dog’s Weight Is Important
Dogs are considered as man’s fluffy best friends, and just like their “hooman” counterparts, they have their own physical and health needs that need to be taken care of. According to Jennifer Coats, an accomplished veterinarian for over 25 years through her released article in the spruce pets about veterinary medicine and animal welfare, dogs, in particular, have a very specific need when it comes to physical, mental, and emotional stimulation.
You can find many goodies from your local pet shop, like treats and food essentials, but some can be found unsafe for their health if not appropriately monitored. Proper nutrition and food intake partnered with a suitable exercise routine will help in maintaining the dog’s health and wellness. Here are some essential reasons why watching the dog’s weight is very important to make sure their health is on the right track.
Obesity in Dogs Is Dangerous to Their Health
It may seem cute to see a dog, or any pet, gain a sizable amount of weight. However, it may eventually lead to many different types of diseases, such as cardiac and pulmonary complications. According to Arianna Pittman, author, and publisher from One Green Planet, putting on extra weight for dogs and cats have a strenuous severe effect on their bodies.
Based on the research released by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), obese dogs and cats cut down two years or more in their life span. It also has adverse effects on their internal organs, putting them at a higher risk for diabetes, liver failure, lung problems, heart diseases, organ inflammation, and cancer.
AVMA suggests that knowing what you buy from a pet store will be more helpful in making sure that the way pet owners feed their dogs and cats is always on the right track. It also helps to find healthier food alternatives for dogs and cats, always check what the ingredients are, and minimise the treats given to them if it is not necessary to avoid them gaining unnecessary pounds of weight.
Overweight Dogs Have Greater Risk of Getting Arthritis, Joint Problems
Dogs and cats that gain weight excruciatingly affect their posture. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), bigger, heavier dogs have a greater tendency to have joint and muscle problems. It affects their stance since it puts more pressure in their knee caps, resulting in the cartilage thinning out. Obesity, if not treated early in dogs and cats, can have its effects in a long period with how they walk, or worse, can result in rheumatoid arthritis or even death due to cartilage infection and sepsis.
Dr. Arianna Pittman suggests that regular exercise, like taking your pet for a walk around the neighbourhood will help in lessening their weight, as well as helping alleviate the effects of swollen joints in dogs and cats.
It Affects Their Way of Life
Obesity with dogs and cats does not just affect their physical health, but emotional health as well. According to Dr. Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS, CVJ, with his published article in the pet health network, dogs and cats gained a lot of weight experience discomfort in getting up, walking, and eating. It leads them to a weaker lung, which affects their respiration and agility. Dogs and cats having respiratory problems tend to be hostile and aggressive with their owners, changing their way of life.
Dr. Phil suggests that early response is significant when it comes to helping the pet lose their extra weight. Dr. Zeltzman added that pet owners should always be mindful of their pet’s food intake. Early response is still better than treating the effects of obesity to pets health in the long run, aside from it will save a lot of money from the medical treatments and procedures, it will keep them away from diseases that may be deadly to their health. As the adage goes, prevention is always better than cure.
Author Bio: Reba Webb is a copywriter and content strategist. She helps businesses stop playing around with content marketing and start seeing the tangible ROI. She loves writing as much as she loves the cake.
