The next step in getting your dog’s weight under control is to take an objective look at how much your dog eats.ĭr. Collier explains, “he may be getting too heavy.” “If you notice he pants heavily on walks that he used to be able to make,” Dr. ![]() ![]() You may also want to watch how your dog manages regular exercise. ![]() “If you’re starting to lose the indentation on the waist and the tuck up to the abdomen, the dog is overweight.” “If you have a hard time finding the ribs and you really have to press, the dog is getting heavy,” says Dr. For dogs with thick, long fur, you’ll likely need to feel these areas rather than rely on appearance alone, because fur can hide a dog’s body shape. If you are standing to the side of your pet, their chest should tuck up as it goes into the abdomen. Looking from above, the flank-the area between the ribs and the pelvis-should be indented, and your pet’s chest should be wider than the flank. Karyn Collier, DVM, chief medical officer at Saint Francis Veterinary Center for Animal Physical Therapy in Woolwich Township, New Jersey. You might be surprised at how much the pet equivalent of human food is.To determine if your dog is overweight, check their ribs: “You should be able to feel their ribs without an excessive amount of fat on them,” says Dr. This means reducing their normal meals when they’ve had treats, or increasing their exercise on the days they get extra treats. You will need to take these into account when feeding your pet their regular means. This means that those bones you give to keep your dog entertained or that sneaky piece of chicken you give to your cat off your dinner plate all contributes to your pet’s daily calorie intake. Monitor treatsĮvery calorie counts when you are trying to get your pet to lose weight. So, if your dog is 20kg and you want them to be 15kg, you should be feeding them the amount of food for the 15kg dog. You should also note that when trying to lose weight, you should be feeding your dog the amount based on the weight that they should be, not the weight they are. Yes, dog and cat food can be calorie counted and you can usually find your pet’s ideal serving size somewhere on the packet of food.īe mindful that serving sizes on dog and cat food is per day, so if it says 2 cups a day, that has to be broken up into however many meals you feed your dog. Toys that move will encourage your cat’s hunting instincts to come out.īut, we all know how lazy cats can be, so this will probably need to be done alongside a change in diet. Ask your vet if you want to increase your dog’s activity levels as there are some considerations you need to be aware of depending on the age, breed and health status of your dog.įor cats, ensuring you set aside time each day to play with them will help them to increase their exercise. Swimming is great for dogs with arthritis if they get sore after walking. If your dog has no joint issues or injuries, you could also take them jogging with you. if your dog needs to lose weight, you might want to go for longer or more frequent walks. ![]() Taking your dog for a walk is a great way for them to get exercise while also stimulating their mind. You can do this two ways: by increasing the amount of exercise they do, or decreasing their food. This means that the calories burned needs to be more than the calories consumed. Like all weight loss, there needs to be a calorie deficit in order for a pet to lose weight. My pet needs to lose weight, how can I help them? If your pet is fluffy, it can be difficult to tell just with your eyes, but you can feel if your pet’s body condition through their fur or check them the next time they have a bath.
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