Time to tackle the chub: Overweight in dogs
When Molly the beagle, after just the first four meters, already starts panting and looks as round as her name suggests, it’s time for you and your four-legged friend to get moving. Grab your exercise mats, it’s time to tackle the chub.
Read on to find out why excess weight in dogs is more than just unhealthy: it poses numerous risks to your pet’s life. You’ll also learn how to help your four-legged friend get back in shape.
The four biggest fatteners – causes of overweight in pets
Half a sausage from the grill, five treats in between and *bam*, you can’t tell Dachshund Waldi apart from the bratwurst on the grill. But it’s not just a →poor diet that can lead to excess weight in dogs and cats. Here they are – the five biggest fatteners:
1. Too many treats
No question, hardly anyone can resist those sparkling dog eyes that smile at you several times a day and try to conjure up something tasty. And so, one treat quickly turns into 10 and a series of extra kilos find their way onto your pet’s hips.
2. Begging
Maybe you’re very consistent with your pet and so far not a single bread crust has found its way under the table and into the dog’s belly. But maybe you just can’t resist and feel guilty at the dinner table while your pet watches and also has a serious craving for a ham sandwich. Yet much of what’s on your plate is a real fattener.
3. Not enough exercise
You know it too: as soon as you slack off on regular exercise and spend your days on the couch, the kilos creep up on the scale. Calories that your furry friend takes in with food also need to be burned off, otherwise they’ll settle as fat deposits.
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Ways & tips to keep dogs properly engaged
4. Unhealthy food
Only the best for your sweetheart? But not everything that glitters is gold. A look at the labels of conventional pet food reveals: questionable ingredients are involved and there’s no trace of natural nutrients.
A good pet food contains plenty of high-quality meat, such as muscle meat, liver, or hearts. In addition, there should be no preservatives, sugar, or grains included. Cheap pet food often contains fillers like grains because it’s cheaper to produce – but these provide far too many carbohydrates that your furry friend can’t burn off and thus gains weight.
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What does being overweight do to my pet?
Simply feeling uncomfortable in their body can drastically reduce your pet’s quality of life when they are overweight. Obesity can also be associated with numerous diseases that often shorten a pet’s life by several years. These five problems can affect your four-legged friend if you let the chub run unchecked:
Joint diseases
Joints, bones, tendons, and ligaments are put under a lot of strain by your pet’s excess weight. In the long term, this can lead to excessive wear and tear and show up as →arthritis or →hip dysplasia.
Cardiovascular system
The excess pounds can lead to high blood pressure, elevated blood lipid levels and heart problems.
Skin problems
Compared to pets of normal weight, the risk of →changes to skin and coat is significantly increased. With severe overweight, coat cleaning by your pet can no longer take place properly and germs accumulate in the skin folds.
Diabetes
Being overweight, just like in humans, can cause metabolic disorders. The risk that your pet will develop diabetes increases significantly with every kilo. Especially foods and feeds containing sugar promote this.
Immune system
Being overweight also affects the immune system. As a result, obese pets are more susceptible to infections and also have a harder time getting rid of them – a vicious cycle.
Time to tackle the chub: How do I reduce my pet’s excess weight?
If your four-legged friend has been overweight for some time, it’s advisable to consult a veterinarian for advice. In rare cases, serious illnesses underlie the weight gain, which cannot be treated by weight loss alone. If the vet gives the green light, it’s time to tackle the chub!
But as quickly as the kilos pile on, they’re rarely lost just as fast. Gradually change your pet’s food and pay attention to the reduced crude fat content in the analytical components of the dog food.
Each week your pet should lose a maximum of 2% of their body weight, so never skip meals or drastically reduce the amount of food.
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How do I prevent my pet from becoming overweight?
Of course, it’s best if your four-legged friend never gets into the situation of being overweight in the first place. The dangerous combination of too little exercise and too much (unhealthy) food should be avoided, and it’s important to maintain a healthy balance in these areas.
Structure in feeding times is not only important for training your pet, but can also be helpful for maintaining a healthy weight. Set two fixed meals per day, whether you feed your furry friend from the bowl or on the go, it doesn’t matter.
Avoid pet food that contains grains, sugar, and other additives. For dogs prone to gaining weight, an early switch to special →food for overweight dogs can help keep their weight under control in the long term. Good food is half the battle to give your pet a long and healthy life.
Treats should always be included in the daily food ration! Also, don’t reward just because they’re cute, but make them earn it with some exercise.
Additionally, you can replace treats with cuddles and strengthen the bond between you and your pet better than any chew stick.
The right amount of food is as individual as each dog and even within a breed, this amount varies depending on activity, age, and health condition.
If your furry friend is already struggling with excess weight, that means stress for both of you and high costs at the vet. Your pet will thank you if you address the topic of healthy pet food early and find the most irresistible food for them.
If you haven’t yet found the right food for your pet and need help, you can get free phone advice on all questions about pet food from us.
