Helping round hounds and fat cats slim down

Think it’s hard to keep your New Year’s resolution to slim down? Consider the plight of pudgy pets.

The most recent survey by the Association on Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) indicates 53% of dogs and 59% of cats exceed the healthy weight limit. That means 80 million U.S. dogs and cats are at risk of developing many of the same weight-related diseases their human companions suffer.

“Pet obesity remains the leading health threat to our nation’s pets,” says APOP’s founder and lead veterinarian for the survey Ernie Ward, DVM. “We continue to see an escalation in the number of overweight cats and an explosion in the number of Type 2 diabetes cases.”

Overweight and obese cats are also expected to live shorter lives than their fitter counterparts. Heavy cats tend to physically interact less with their families and are less energetic and playful. Because they tend to lie around more, it is easy to overlook illnesses and attribute their lethargy to laziness.

Overweight or obese dogs are at increased risk for reduced life expectancy, diabetes, joint problems, muscle tears, hip dysplasia, tracheal collapse, difficulty breathing, anesthesia complications during surgery and skin and heart disorders.

One of the biggest problems in preventing pet obesity is many owners fail to see the harm in indulging their best buddies in an extra treat or a little leftover from the dinner table. However, since pets generally weigh under 100 pounds, it doesn’t take a lot of extra weight to aversely affect their health status.

For example, a 19-pound cat whose ideal weight is 10 pounds is comparable to a 5-foot, 4-inch woman carrying 131 pounds more than her ideal weight of 145. Likewise, a 45-pound dog with 23 pounds of pudge is similar to a 5-foot, 9-inch guy sporting 368 pounds, nearly 200 pounds over his healthy limit.

Many pet owners don’t recognize when their pet is overweight. The APOP survey of veterinarians indicates approximately 45% of owners assessed their pet as having a normal body weight. They were in shock and denial when their veterinarians explained a pet’s need to lose weight.

Still, you don’t have to be a veterinarian to recognize the five criteria that define obesity in pets:

• Ribs and other skeletal structures are difficult to feel under a thick covering of fat.
• Fat hangs from the abdomen.
• Tail base is thickened.
• The animal doesn’t have an obvious waist when viewed from the side or above.
• The animal is markedly broadened when viewed from above.

Stay tuned next week for ideas on how to win your beast’s battle of the bulge.

Daisy is an eight-year-old dilute calico. This pretty kitty entered rescue severely malnourished and with an eye injury, which caused blindness in her left eye. Because she wasn’t getting regular meals, she tends to overeat and needs to have her food intake monitored. However, her health problems have not adversely affected her personality. Daisy loves attention. She will sit still as long as someone is petting her, purring and talking the whole time. Now, this Daisy is simply waiting the right companion to take her home and watch her blossom.

Gibson is a loving, one-year-old heeler mix. This sweet young guy loves to play, play, play and then play some more. He’d love to go home with someone who will have lots of time and energy to go on daily walks and give me lots of playtime, love and affection.

Toro is a nine-month-old, black-and-white male kitten.

Laverne loves the company of her dog housemates and humans. This terrier mix is a boisterous, bouncy girl, who is quick to win over other canines. She is housebroken and crate trained.

Austyn and her sisters are called the Tanger Girls because they were caught at the Tanger Mall in Gonzales, along with their mother, Shelly. This little tabby girl was the last one to be trapped. She was rescued four days after the rest of her family. Even though she was alone those days without her family and sustained by the kitten food provided by rescuers, it took some time for her to trust people. But because of the care in her foster home she can now be picked up and held…for a while.

Ellie is a beautiful, one-year-old dachshund/lab mix with a shiny black coat.
All these pets have been spayed/neutered, vaccinated, heartworm tested and microchipped. Many other adoptable dogs, puppies, cats and kittens are available through Capital Area Animal Welfare Society. For more information, click here.