As sad as it may sound, chubby and happy doesn’t alwaysequal healthy. Many people can resist handing their furry friend an extra piece of chicken…or two. But you may be putting your pet’s life in danger if they are constantly over-fed and over-weight. What could be better than watching your furry friend curled up on the rug, snoozing with a stomach full of your leftovers? Sure, your four-legged friend may be content at the moment, but it’s certainly not healthy to have an obese animal on your hands. Condoning your pet’s begging and neglecting his or her need for exercise and healthy food has the potential to lead to several unwelcome trips to the vet.
By controlling your pet’s diet and keeping them fit and trim, you are doing your best friend a world of good. As tasty as it may be, the fact of the matter is that human food is often too high in fat for an animal to properly metabolize. Improper diets can result in diarrhea, weight gain, and allergic reactions. Like their human counterparts, obesity in animals can result in heart and respiratory problems and skeletal stress, and pudgy animals are more prone to diabetes.
According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), as many as 89 percent of dog and cat owners occasionally feed their pet scraps from the dinner table. What’s the harm in doing this? It will encourage Fido or Fluffy to beg at the table, which can lead to obesity, and cause poor behavior problems to boot! After all, why would any animal go back to eating healthier pet food when their owner dishes out leftover beef brisket?
Unfortunately, table scraps are not the only demon. Some pet foods are also very high in fact, making them even more appealing to your pet. The more they eat fatty foods, the more they will love them, and will often refuse to eat anything else.
So, what’s a concerned pet owner to do? If you are worried about your pet’s weight or nutrition, be sure to check the label on their pet food. It typically takes a 10 to 20 percent fiber diet to change your pet’s weight, so look for pet food that is high in fiber. If you pet is already a picky eater, it might take a few weeks for your furry companion to learn to like his new food, but his health will be well worth it!
