Weight Management

 One of the most common health issues, unaddressed by owners, is overweight pets.  It cracks me up that a lot of clients are clueless when I inform them that their pets are overweight.  When I see a patient with a great body score and I compliment them on keeping weight off, most owners have stories where randoes have commented that their dogs are too skinny!  I make sure to reassure those owners that their dog is not too skinny and that we as a society have gotten used to seeing overweight dogs and now that’s normal to most people.  Your dog should have an hourglass figure from chest curving into the abdomen. You should be able to feel their ribs like the back of your knuckles and when they take a deep breath to see a couple is okay too.  I know it’s hard not to overfeed our beloved fur babies because it’s part of how we show affection. And it’s super hard for pet owners that have dogs and cats that seem like they are hungry ALL the time but creating an obese pet is literally loving them to death! 

     Quick Tip: October 1–6: National Walk Your Dog Week

OCTOBER PET CALENDAR: LARRY KAY OCTOBER 7, 2016. National walk your dog week Pet Calendar: National Walk Your Dog Week. It seems like a good fit for the Pet Calendar for October that National Pet Obesity Day is on October 12 and that National Walk Your Dog Week is also in October.

Pet parents, did you know:

Close to 17 million dogs in the United States are overweight (that’s more than 40% of dogs) If you walk your dog at least thirty minutes a day you both benefit? A thirty-minute walk will help you (and your dog) meet recommendations for heart healthy exercise.national walk your dog weekWhat can you do to help both your health and the health of your beloved dog(s)? Commit to walking at least thirty minutes a day. Your heart, your dog and your veterinarian will thank you!

Be safe when walking your dog: Keep him or her on a leash or harness, unless you’re in a safe, enclosed area. Make sure he has an identification tag or is microchipped. Walk at a brisk pace so that both of your hearts get a great workout!

Feeding your dog a healthy diet, taking him for walks or even making certain he gets his exercise inside the house in case it’s too hot or too cold outside will help your pet live a long, healthy life. That’s what we all want!

It’s never fun informing/lecturing clients on their overweight pets but knowing the repercussions of this health condition is worth bursting their bubble.  

 Quick Tip: Obesity & Your Dog: What You Can Do to Help

June 13, 2019 A few of the major health issues that obese dogs and cats have to deal with include osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and respiratory disease, kidney disease, cancer and more. “The real heartbreaker for me as a vet, though, is that these pets have such a diminished quality of life,”Dr., Ward said. “I see the consequences, and I wish for those pets that I could roll back the tape to five years ago and say ‘let’s change a few minor things here and there and we could have avoided all of this.’ It’s avoidable, not inevitable.”

    So many issues and health-related problems for our four-legged children are preventable and knowledge is power!

Thanks For Reading

Heidi Parker