Healthy Weight During the Winter Months

This week we will be focusing on the topic of keeping your pet at a healthy weight throughout the winter. With the holidays and the cold weather, it is easy for us as humans and your pet cat/dog to gain weight. This week we will focus on a variety of techniques to try and keep your cat and dog at a healthy weight!

Canine and feline obesity is quickly becoming an epidemic. Our canine and feline friends rely on us as responsible pet owners to take the lead and do the right thing by not over feeding them. While a treat or food may make your pet happy in the moment, in the long run they will suffer. Pets that are overweight or obese suffer serious medical consequences and place strain on internal organ function and their musculoskeletal system. While a pound or two may not seem like much weight to you, on a dog or cat it is a significant amount of weight. For example: a ten pound dog that gains one pound has gained 10% of its body weight- This would be equivalent to a 200 pound person putting on another 20 pounds. In our pets, every pound matters, and overweight pets suffer from a shorter lifespan than healthy weight pets. Unhealthy body condition can place stress on joints, often leading to arthritis and musculoskeletal injuries that can result in expensive surgeries and chronic pain. Obesity can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, and places stress on internal organs such as liver and kidneys. Our overweight canine and feline friends are also more predisposed to serious and expensive medical conditions such as diabetes and often have a shorter life span.

Food is an important part of your pet’s day, and many of us take great joy in providing them with meals and snacks they enjoy. However, making sure we keep our pets at a healthy weight is part of responsible pet ownership.

Healthy Weight in our Canine Friends

When its cold outside, going for a long walk or run may not be feasible for you or your pet. As time spent inside increases, we as pet owners need to become creative in exercising our animals! Consider a few of the following suggestions to increase canine mobility in the winter months to inhibit weight gain:

Sit ups and push ups: Teach your canine the commands lay down and sit up. Using a low calorie treat or favorite toy have your dog do “push ups” by laying down and sitting up in a few repetitions at a time. Even a little activity burns calories.

Laser pointers: If your dog enjoys chasing a laser pointer or flash light, invest in one! These inexpensive tools can allow a fun chasing game around space in the house that will burn calories.

Play with your dog: Outside, its easy to throw a ball or go for a walk. Inside the house, invest in some toys and find a safe space to spend a few minutes a day with your dog throwing a toy or playing down on the floor with them. Not only will they burn calories but they will bond with you.

Commands: Teach your dog a few simple commands such as come, fetch, and follow. If your dog moves around the house with you, rather than laying on the couch or floor all day, they will burn more calories and form a closer relationship with you.

Use a treadmill: If your dog is a high energy dog that is used to long walks or runs, consider using or purchasing a treadmill. Many dogs do very well walking at a slow or medium pace on a treadmill for a short period of time. Work with your veterinarian to introduce this form of exercise with your pet.

Hide and Seek: Utilize your dogs sense of smell, especially for the hound breeds! A small treat that a pet has to work for or seek out within the house creates a fun game where exercise is rewarded.

Healthy Weights in our Feline Friends

Obesity among our companion felines increases every year. Most cats, especially during winter, get very little exercise but take in a large amount of calories. Exercising our feline friends can be a challenging goal. Consider the following to try and help increase your cat’s activity.

Toys: Try a number of different toys! While some cats may play on their own, most will need you to initiate play time. Try feather dusters, cat nip mice, shoe laces, laser pointers, boxes, bags, or any other device your cat finds worth chasing! Even 10-15 minutes a day of batting at a string will burn calories.

Climbing tree or scratching post: Many cats enjoy having a climbing tree or scratching post around. Climbing up and down a tree or repeatedly scratching their claws on a daily basis increases the movement of your cat which can result in increased weight loss.

Leashes: Try taking your cat for a walk! Although this may seem like a silly idea, some cats, especially of the larger breed may very much enjoy short walks where they can explore the outside.

Training: Believe it or not, cats can be trained! Use low calorie treats to teach your cat a number of different commands. Consider highly useful games, such as teaching your cat to go up the stairs or down the stairs to receive a low calorie treat or some cat nip. One treat for all that work is a decent goal for your cat and will burn calories.

Not sure if you pet is overweight?

Not sure if you are feeding the right amount of food?
Follow a few of these simple guidelines to keep track!

Visit your veterinarian: When you bring your pet to the veterinarian they will tell you whether or not your pet is getting a little heavy or is obese. A body condition score will be assigned which is based on a number of factors. For dogs and cats, the general rule of thumb is to not be able to see the ribs, but easily feel them if you run your hands over the chest. Your cat or dog should have an indentation or “waist” after the ribs and no excessive pads of fat. Every animal is different, therefore rely on your veterinarian to guide you as to how much weight your pet needs to loose.

Perform Weight Checks: Utilize your veterinarian for weight checks! Weighing your pet on a regular basis is great way to track their weight. Utilize your veterinarian for this purpose. If you suspect your pet has gained weight, or want to see if they have lost weight stop by the veterinary office. With scales present for all sizes of animals, stopping in to check your pets weight is a free, quick, and accurate tool for weight tracking.

Take charge of your pet’s weight today!

Prescription food: Consult with your veterinarian about starting a prescription weight loss food. These foods, such as Purina OM, are designed to have low calories and high fiber. You are often able to feed your pet more, so that they still feel full but lose weight. Prescription weight loss food can make a significant difference. Pick up your dog’s food bowl in between meals to control the amount of food given/eaten. Change your cat’s feeding from an automatic feeder to specific feeding times. Cats that are overweight should NOT have access to food all day long, whether or not it is weight loss food.

Specific treats: Control the treats you give your pet. For example, a piece of cheese for a small dog is the equivalent of eating 2 cheeseburgers. Even a little treat, or a couple milk bones can add significant weight to your pet. Stop feeding any table scraps or treats from the store, and invest in weight loss calorie controlled treats. A number of different kinds should be available at your veterinary hospital. Consider low calorie vegetables as well such as carrots and celery- many dogs love the natural sugar and crunch.

Medical weight loss: If your pet has not responded to increased exercise or decreased food intake, evaluation of your pet’s basic blood work might be advisable to rule out metabolic abnormalities. There are also medications available, such as Slentrol, that can be used to help control the appetite of your pet if they are ravenous while on a diet.

Ultimately, weight loss is challenging, especially during the winter months. Work with your pet and your veterinarian to devise a plan to attack the weight loss from different angles to achieve the best result.

Please feel free to contact Glove Cities Veterinary hospital anytime, or call to schedule an appointment at 725-8117. Our licensed technician Abbey is specifically trained in weight loss for pets, and can work with you and your pet one on one to devise a weight loss plan.

Dr. Santspree