Homemade feed is more likely to make pets fat than professional food. Obese dogs are prone to circulatory and respiratory diseases. Their tolerance to exercise and resistance to infection will also decrease. Dog obesity can cause diabetes, liver disease, arthritis, allergies, skin diseases and so on. Cat obesity can lead to urinary system diseases, diabetes and liver diseases, which increases the difficulty of grooming and leads to skin diseases. In addition, veterinarians will encounter many inconveniences in routine examination and diagnosis of obese pets. They have a higher risk of complications during anesthesia and surgery, and the possibility of wound rupture after surgery is also greater.
Some pets are not seasonally obese, but they need to lose weight when they grow up. Generally speaking, at a certain stage of life, obese animals will enter a stage of strong appetite and eat more than their bodies need. Energy intake will deposit to form fat and gain weight. In the rest stage of appetite, fat is preserved, but even when appetite is normal or even decreased, weight remains relatively stable. This situation may confuse some pet owners and make it difficult for people to understand why pets are overweight instead of overeating. If dogs and cats are overweight from infancy, they tend to become obese in adulthood, because overeating during the growing period will lead to an irreversible increase in the number of fat cells, while adult pets will increase the size of these cells. Fat puppies will get into the habit of begging when they grow up.
How to tell if a pet is overweight? Some cats and dogs have obvious overweight characteristics, while others are not easy to distinguish. Weight is a useful indicator. It is generally believed that animals are considered overweight when their weight exceeds 15% of the normal ideal weight. Can the standard weight of purebred dogs be judged? Ideal? Effective basis for weight, but not necessarily applicable to hybrid varieties. Most healthy cats weigh between 3 and 5 kilograms, but some cats with big skeletons, especially castrated males, weigh much more.
Normal animals, you should just be able to touch the ribs under the fat layer that is not too thick. Looking down, you should be able to see an obvious one behind the chest? Waist line? . Fat animals have no waist curve because the subcutaneous fat layer becomes thicker. Cat fat usually accumulates in the groin? An apron? . Obese dogs and cats have swollen stomachs because they have a lot of fat in their stomachs. Veterinarians will distinguish obesity from other factors, such as pregnancy, ascites or swelling of abdominal organs.
Dog Weight Loss Plan Consulting Veterinarians should ask veterinarians to have a physical examination before implementing a weight loss plan for obese animals. Your pet may need medication. This is a potential disease that leads to weight gain. Veterinarians use tools to determine whether your pet is getting fat.
Set goals and understand the ideal weight your pet should have. Remember, the initial weight goal can be the ideal weight, or it can be a reduction of 15% based on the current weight.
Diet planning can be achieved by controlling and reducing the calories of food. Therefore, you can use low-calorie pet food on the market, or reduce the original consumption. You should try it several times before you decide on your diet plan. The selected eating plan should be implemented for at least two weeks, and then the feed should be further reduced according to the effect.
The dog's weight loss plan is designed for 12 to 14 weeks. The daily calorie intake is equivalent to 40% of the target weight. Cats need to consume 60% calories to reach their target weight, and lose weight 18 weeks. Never adopt a strict diet plan for cats, because it is potentially dangerous and may even have fatal consequences. Divide the food into two or three small portions every day. This can reduce hunger and consume every meal. In the stage of losing weight, pets will definitely feel hungry. No matter how pitiful you beg, don't give in! This principle should also be explained to your friends and neighbors to convince them that it is in the best interest of pets.
Regularly weigh the importance and carefully follow the implementation process of pet weight loss plan. Weigh yourself once a week, preferably at the same time every day, using the same scale. Using time as a coordinate to show the change of weight in a chart can strengthen your confidence and motivation. Pay attention to the pet's expression and touch the fat layer in the body regularly. Consult your veterinarian regularly to determine whether you need to modify your weight loss plan.
Take part in more exercise. Although it is impossible for most animals to lose weight by exercise alone, we should encourage the gradual increase of exercise. Never force a seriously overweight dog to do excessive exercise, which may bring unbearable pressure to its heart and lungs. Dogs that exceed the target weight by 25% should be taken for a walk every day. Be careful not to let cats get extra food by picking food in the wild, preying or begging for food from neighbors.
Once your pet reaches the target weight, pay attention to maintaining the ideal weight. For obese dogs, it is best to feed brands of food and pay attention to their weight in order to find the most suitable food. Don't go back to the habit of overfeeding. You should adjust your diet according to the amount of activity.