According to many veterinarians, obesity is the most common nutrition-related problem of dogs and cats.  By some estimates, overweight pets make up 25 to 40 percent of the dog and cat population.

Pet obesity can lead to many serious conditions such as diabetes, joint damage, heart disease, digestive problems and difficulty in breathing just to name a few.

How to tell if your pet is overweight

Obesity is the excessive collection of body fat.  A pet’s ribs should be easy to feel.  But your pet’s ribs should not be overly exposed.

If you think that your pet is heading toward obesity, check with your vet to determine what steps to start taking.  There are degrees of pet obesity so if your pet is not yet so overweight that you need to change to a special weight loss food, here are some tips:

Don’t let your pet control what he eats.  Cut back on the amount you feed.  Dogs, in particular are great at begging and using a sad face to get more food.  If he looks really hungry after he finishes his bowl of food, give him some low calorie foods such as apples or carrots as long as it doesn’t upset his tummy
Feed appropriate snacks.  Look for nutritious pet treats which add some nutritional value to the pet’s menu.  Many treats bought in a store are too fattening.
The overweight pet needs additional exercise opportunities at least a couple of times per week.  Take longer walks than usual or give him more play time.  Never give him too much exercise.  Make sure that any outdoor activity is not during the hot part of the day.

Changing your pet’s food

The veterinarian may say that a different food is needed to help your overweight pet.  Choose a high quality, nutritious pet food with lower fat and caloric values but one that has sufficient fatty acids.  Without the fatty acids, the pet’s coat can become dry and itchy.

As with human diets, weight loss should be gradual.  It may take 8 to 12 months for the pet to lose the necessary weight so don’t be discouraged.

As with any food change, change the food gradually so the pet’s digestion system is not upset.  Check with the vet to determine how long to keep him on the weight loss food as it may not be healthy to keep him on this food for an extended period.

Most weight loss dog foods are not nutritionally balanced.  However, there is some weight loss food available that is properly balanced and is a high quality, nutritious pet food.

How to prevent an overweight dog

To state the obvious, start with good nutrition and regular veterinary visits to monitor his weight.

Choose a pet food with healthy, nutritional ingredients in the proper balance.  Feed the correct amounts.  Sometimes, a pet may not need as much as the directions say on the bag.  See the section of this article, “How to tell if your pet is overweight.”
You can tell if your pet starts to gain weight and adjust food amounts and snacks accordingly.  Check with your vet if you are not sure.
Pets need regular exercise.  The amount of exercise depends on the age, breed and physical condition of the pet.  Younger pets need more exercise because of their high energy level.  Older pets or pets with joint or other problems need less activity.
Watch your pet’s food intake and do not let him eat too much.  Don’t feed too many treats or table food that may have too much fat, sugar, or salt for dogs.
Never leave the food for your pet so he can graze throughout the day.
Pets often eat out of boredom.  If your pet must be left alone for long periods, provide toys that will stimulate him.  There are some toys that contain treats.  The overweight pet must work with the toy in order to get the treat out.  These can give him some stimulation while you are away.
Feed only high quality, nutritious treats.  The treat should be functional and not be a snack where the sole purpose is to reduce his hunger.

-
About the Author:
Scott and Trish Hubbard are long time pet lovers.  For the last 40 years, dogs have been a major part of their family.
They have dedicated the last 5 years of their lives to finding the best products for pet health.  You can reach them directly by calling toll-free 877-878-4036 or by emailing them at Scott@ProductsForPetHealth.com.   For more information on weight loss products, you can visit the Healthy Pet Net website at http://ProductsForPetHealth.com.
 
Article Source

Dog is human’s best friend and one of the most lovely family pets. We consider pet dogs as family members, even as our own baby. We give everthing we think is good for them, big brand dog food, medical care, toys, not matter how expensive. But still, lots of dogs fail to accompany their beloved master for more than a decade. Renal failure, malnutrition, digestive system diseases, and so many other problems can take away our lovely dog before they get the chance to grow old. Why we spend so many time and money taking care our dog and end up like this ? Well, have you ever think about that you may literally poision your dog everyday by feeding them comercial dog food ? Unfortunately, that is the truth.

Comercial dog food manufactures, no matter how big the brand is, try every means to increase their profits. Instead of truly caring your dog, they may use slaughter house wastes, diseased animal carcasses contains chemicals and other low-nutritious ingredients to decrease costs. All of these are not groundless rumors. Andrew Lewis, author of the best selling book “Dog food secrets”, did years of researches to find out the truth about pet food, after his dog died in its four.

After konwing all those dangers in comercial dog food, you probably want to try other things to feed your dog. You can find all you need in “Dog food secrets”, such as essential nutrient that dogs need, various recipe easy to cook, nutritious and yammy for your pet. If you want to feed your dog with human foods, make sure you check out in list of fatal human food to dogs in the book first. There are also many information about medical care, nutrition, vaccinations, calories-control and even tips to teach you how to make heathy snacks.

With years of reasearches and a true dog-loving heart, Lewis is very confident to his book. If you are not satisfied to the book for any reason, you can get all your money back without giving back the book.

With the help of the book and your love, it is not a dream to expand your dog’s life to 27 years and that would be very happy and healthy 27 years. Grab A Copy Click here

-
About the Author:
Dog Food Secrets Complaints
Article Source

Today, many pet food websites present amazing discount coupons for consumers. There are several attractive offers available for pet owners to get high scores on dog and cat food. Generally, all pet owners want to get the best food for their dogs. There is no compromise over quality when it comes to Eukanuba. We are celebrating 40 years anniversary of excellence in dog food industry. AtEukanuba we are committed to offer the best quality for your pet. You can get superb discounts on all your purchases. All other leading dog food brands also offer coupons for consumers. You can simply grab these attractive deals through your local newspaper or by search the web.

If you don’t get any information from yellow pages and newspapers don’t worry there is plenty of information available online. You have to search for the details you want about your desired dog food. You can easily sign in at many websites that offer coupons and ways to increase your coupon scores. You can save few bucks and get amazing discount through Eukanuba Coupons. These stubs are discounted coupons that you can utilize on each purchase. Initially, you have to download as many points as you can get to maximize your scores. Moreover, many leading dog food brands limit coupons by issuing one or two discount stubs per house and customer.

If you are looking for a particular dog food item in discount, it’s best to start looking for the dog food manufacturer website. You will get special discounts when you will buy it directly from the manufacturer. There are many advantages of buying the product directly from the company. You will receive the dog food at cheap rates as there are no middlemen attached in the deal. Our experts ensure that your pet’s health. Moreover, you can subscribe for the websites newsletter, by subscribing Eukanuba Coupons. You will know about latest events, promos and dog food coupons. We guarantee complete satisfaction and value of your money.

-
About the Author:
For more information on Eukanuba Coupons visit my website.
Article Source