Causes of obesity in pets

Obesity – a civilizational problem?

The same factors play a role in obesity in animals as in humans.

Obesity develops due to a sedentary lifestyle, excessive food intake, and the consumption of foods of inadequate quality.

An important difference, however, is that while the causes of people’s obesity are almost exclusively to be found in their own lack of discipline and faulty eating habits, our pets’ obesity is not caused by themselves, but by the people around them.

The dog will not sneak into the kitchen at night and empty the refrigerator like a glutton, but will only gain weight from the food given by the owner.

It is a problem if the owner misjudges the condition of his pet, in his eyes his animal is not fat at all, only the veterinarian draws his attention to the overweight.

It complicates the situation if more than one family member feeds the dog, “God forbid” the neighbors also throw this or that.

That’s when it becomes completely impossible to track what and how much we actually eat. A healthy dog is usually voracious and can eat almost anything offered.

This can have many consequences:

• upset stomach
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• obesity in the long run, of course

Another common factor in obesity is a sedentary lifestyle.

In today’s fast-paced world, there is less time for taking care of our pets and going for walks.

People living in houses with gardens often never take their dogs for a walk, maybe only in the initial period when they got the dog.

Later, the enthusiasm runs out (every miracle lasts three days) and the walks become rarer and then cease.

However, regular exercise would be good for both owner and dog.

It is a scientifically proven fact that the life expectancy of older people who keep a dog and exercise regularly is several years longer than that of their contemporaries who sit in front of the TV.

What are the consequences of being overweight?

Being overweight is just as harmful to our pets as it is to humans. It puts a strain on the heart, circulatory system, joints, and spine. In heat, the thick layer of fat prevents heat release and predisposes to heat stroke. Obesity can predispose our pets to certain tumors.

What should we do if we feel that our pet is overweight?

In any case, we ask for the advice of our veterinarian, because starting a diet on our own beard can have serious, possibly life-threatening consequences. The veterinarian examines our pet and rules out other diseases.

Obesity can also develop as a result of a series of internal medicine and hormonal diseases (thyroid gland, adrenal gland dysfunction)!

A significant improvement can be achieved even in the most hopeless cases by gradually reducing the amount of food (possibly by using low-calorie diet foods) and at the same time by exercising properly.

A little help:

How would you judge your pet’s condition based on the table?

Dog condition table

Cat condition chart

Do you feel your pet is overweight?

In our veterinary surgery and online store, specially formulated “dentists” are available food for dogs and cats.