One of the best ways to honor Pet Obesity Awareness Day is to ensure that your canine companion gets outside
If you’re a pet parent, we encourage you to mark on your calendar that Pet Obesity Awareness Day is on October 13th this year. Pet Obesity Awareness Day serves as an annual reminder that pet health is meaningful. While pets come in unique and adorable shapes and sizes, being overweight can lead to various health problems. Today we’re going to detail the risks of a pet being obese and what can help treat pet obesity.
Pet Obesity: What’s the “Big” Deal?
Once again, a pet being overweight can lead to various health problems. These health problems can include diabetes, arthritis, a shorter life expectancy, high blood pressure, and cancer. Over 50% of both cats and dogs are obese. The cause of pet obesity stems from a pet taking in more calories than they burn off consistently. In addition, older pets experience obesity due to a decline in exercise.
Treatment
Like people, pets need the proper diet and exercise to maintain a healthy weight. The best way for you to treat pet obesity is to talk to one of our friendly and experienced veterinarians. Sometimes pet owners don’t even realize that their pet is overweight. For this reason, an annual wellness exam can help detect things that may go under the radar.
Refrain from feeding your fur babies table scraps. Take your canine companion on plenty of walks, buy interactive toys that encourage your cute cat to move around, and pay attention to nutrition labels as well as how much you’re feeding your feline friend or canine companion. Our veterinarians can provide nutritional counseling and weight management techniques. Underwater treadmill sessions are beneficial for dogs. The benefits of underwater treadmills are that they:
- Allow muscles to function faster for better mobility.
- Foster Low-Impact Movements
- Help Facilitate a Better Range of Motion
- Help With Osteoarthritis and Soft Tissue Injuries
- Assist with Postoperative Fracture Care
- Increase Blood Flow
How to Honor Pet Obesity Awareness Day
- Share this blog!
- Tag us in photos of your pet exercising on social media
- Schedule an annual exam if it’s been a while
- Feed your canine companion or feline friend a quality diet
Here at Mount Carmel Animal Hospital, We’ll Treat Your Pets Like Family!
Mount Carmel Animal Hospital has been serving the Northern Baltimore/Southern York community for over 30 years and is proud to be an independently operated, small animal practice committed to excellence in veterinary medicine and client service. From grooming to wellness services, along with Canine Life Skills Training Courses, and surgical procedures, we have the expertise that will best serve the needs of you and your pet. Contact us at 410-343-0200 and follow us on Facebook!