October 7th, 2015 commemorates National Pet Obesity Awareness Day. The statistics describing pet obesity in the United States might surprise you:

A 2014 study conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention found that an estimated 53% of dogs and 58% of cats  in the United States are obese or overweight. That’s over half of our four-legged furry friends.

Obesity in pets can lead to serious health conditions. In this CBS piece describing the results of this study, Senior Veterinary Surgeon Sean Wensley lists obesity-related diseases pets can develop including heart disease, cancers, and osteoarthritis. Pet obesity can also lead to type II diabetes.

Besides these serious health conditions, pet obesity decreases your pet’s quality of life. Petful goes on to list other conditions pet obesity-related concerns such as difficulty breathing, back pain, and a shorter life span. In fact, a healthy dog may live two-years longer than an overweight dog.

So, how can we, as pet owners combat pet obesity in our busy lives?

Cats, dogs, and humans all need regular exercise to stay healthy. Dogs crave walks. Dog owners should remember they will always have an eager walking buddy ready to join them. Although cats are difficult to walk, they still need exercise and, like dogs, love to play. A healthy diet is also necessary to maintain a healthy weight . Consult your vet to determine whether or not your pet is struggling with its weight and how you can help it reach its goal. Sometimes a diet or change in food may be necessary.

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention lists some helpful tool and articles for both cat and dog owners. You can find out how much your pet would weigh if it was a human, print a daily food and activity log to help track your pet’s activity and eating habits, and use this handy chart to figure out exactly how many calories are in its favorite treats.

The good news is that it’s never too late to help your pet become healthier and happier.

We understand how busy life becomes. Our compassionate staff would love to help care for your pet in their home or yours and provide pet taxi services. Call 321-794-4477 or send us an email for more information. We love hearing from you!