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Obesity leads to pet health issues.

We all want to show our pets how much we care about them. Unfortunately, many times we show it with food.

Pet obesity has become a huge issue in the last several years (no pun intended), and had led to an increase in obesity-related illnesses that can be prevented. The situation is ironic – as pet owners try to show their pets how much they care by rewarding them with high-calorie treats, they are actually leading the pet down an unhealthy path, lessening their quality and longevity of life.

The same problems that affect obese humans also affect obese pets. Studies show that pets with a little extra girth have a greater risk for developing osteoarthritis and other orthopedic problems, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart and respiratory diseases, reproductive disorders, certain skin conditions, kidney failure, and a number of cancers.

It can be difficult to understand how the treats you give are affecting your pet because of the small portions, which is why Dr. Ernie Ward, a lead researcher at The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, has developed some equivalents that may be more convincing. For example, Dr. Ward says that a single, small dog bone treat given to a 10-pound dog is no different than a person eating two chocolate doughnuts. Now think about how many of those dog bone treats you tend to feed your dog during the day. That’s a lot of doughnuts. 

The calories in those treats inevitably cause weight gain. Again, a small amount of weight gain for a pet may not seem like too big of a deal, but Dr. Ward explains that 3 extra pounds on a 15-pound Boston Terrier is like 30 extra pounds on a 150-pound person. Some other equivilants to think about:

• A 90-pound female Labrador Retriever is equivalent to a 186-pound 5-foot, 4-inch female.
• A 12-pound Yorkshire Terrier is similar to a 223-pound 5-foot, 4-inch female.
• A 15-pound cat is equivalent to a 225-pound 5-foot, 9-inch male.
• A 20-pound cat equals a 300-pound 5-foot, 9-inch male. 
• Each extra pound on a cat is equal to about 13 pounds on the average female and 15 pounds on a male.

So, before you reward you pet with another treat, remember what that treat may mean. Try rewarding him with verbal praise, or a tummy rub instead. Teach your dog that affection can be shown without food, and keep him happy and healthy for many years to come!

Obesity in pets is a real issue.

Trupanion advises pet owners to pay close attention to their pets’ weight.

(Vocus/PRWEB ) August 2, 2010 — Pet insurance company Trupanion has released a list of obesity-related claims the company received since 2008, stating that obesity in pets is just as dangerous as obesity in humans.

According to WebMD, up to 40% of dogs in the U.S. are overweight, resulting in many severe health issues, including a decrease in life span. The number one obesity-related disease reported by Trupanion was pancreatitis, with a 255% increase in claims since 2008, and the year is only half over. This was followed by diabetes and arthritis, with a 112% increase and 209% increase in claims respectively. Other reported diseases included heart disease, liver disease, and high blood pressure.

Multiple areas of a dog’s body are affected by excess body fat, including the bones and joints, the digestive organs, and the organs used to breathe.

Having a hard time deciding if your pet is too plump? In general, a healthy bone structure should be easily felt but not seen. Run your hands over your pet and feel for the spine, shoulder blades, and ribs. If you have to dig through many layers of fat, there is a most likely a problem. There should also be a well-defined waist and a tight abdomen.

While in some cases, obesity is related to another disease, such as hypothyroidism in the animal, many times it comes down to owner responsibility. Start early by making sure you feed your pet a healthy diet and give him or her an appropriate amount of exercise. It is also important to have your pet weighed periodically, and to take measures to decrease weight gain if an issue arises. Some easy fixes include:

• Increase the amount of exercise your pet receives.
• Decrease the amount of food your pet eats daily, or switch to a lower calorie food option.
• Decrease the amount of treats given to your pet during the day.

By taking some preventative measures, and keeping an eye on your pet’s weight throughout his or her life, you can save him or her from a lifetime of hardships related to obesity. And as an added bonus, you will help keep yourself and your family healthy too.

About Trupanion™
Trupanion™ pet insurance offers cat insurance and dog insurance in the United States and Canada. Trupanion™ is self-underwritten by the American Pet Insurance Company, allowing Trupanion™ to offer a customizable pet insurance policy with no benefit schedules. Enrolled pets receive lifetime coverage for diagnostic tests, surgeries, and medications if they get sick or are injured, with no incident, annual or lifetime limit. Trupanion’s mission is to protect the cherished bond between pets and their families by ensuring that pets are able to receive optimal veterinary care. For more information about Trupanion™, call 800-569-7913 or visit http://www.TrupanionPetInsurance.com.

About the North American Pet Health Insurance Association
Trupanion™ is a founding member of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA).  Founded in 2007, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association is committed to educating and promoting the values and benefits of quality pet health insurance to North American pet owners, the general public, and the veterinary community.  As an association, we are committed to high standards and transparency in all of our actions and products.  To learn more, visit the North American Pet Health Insurance Association website at http://www.naphia.org.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/Trupanion/pet_insurance/prweb4336824.htm.

Do you or someone you know have a brachycephalic (flat-faced) dog?

Flat-faced breeds have more difficulty breathing and cooling down because of the anatomy of their heads. The design of the head actually allows water to evaporate more quickly off the tongue than it does for the traditionally shaped dog’s head, leaving an inefficient system for the body to cool down.

You may not have known, but they actually require extra special care, especially in the hot summer months.

To prevent your dog from overheating and risking heatstroke, try some of these tips:

• Walk your dog in the cool of the early morning or late evening and not during midday when the temperatures are the highest.
• Keep your dog at a healthy weight– extra fat adds more insulation for heat.
• Limit strenuous exercise and play.
• This is important for all dogs: Try to stick to shady areas, and consider walking your dog through a grassy (or dirt or gravel) park rather than the hot asphalt on the really hot days. We don’t always remember, because we’re wearing shoes, but hot asphalt can burn poor pups’ paw pads.
• Provide a cool, shady spot for your dog to spend the hot hours of the day.
• Be sure your dog has plenty of cool, fresh water throughout the day.
• Never leave your dog in the car; even on a 70° day, temperatures inside the car can reach over 100°!

Got more tips to keep hot dogs cool? Share them in the comments!

*Photo from Crystal M. via Trupanion’s Facebook page.

In a recent article from the LA Times, a Dutch study revealed that overweight dogs tend to have overweight owners. According to the study, dogs seem to take after their owners whether they are couch potatoes or regular joggers.

However, this correlation was not found between cats and their owners. Cats tend to self-satisfy their exercise needs whereas dogs are more dependent upon their owner for walks or play sessions.

The folks at Dogster make a good point:

Obesity can cause many harmful health problems to your pet (Learn more). So get in a few extra walks every week, for the sake of both you and your dog’s health. Your dog really does make a great exercise buddy!

*Photo courtesy No More Treats.com

Every year, we go through the same motions of planning New Years resolutions for ourselves: lose weight, eat healthy, travel, spend more time with friends and family. However, what many people don’t realize is that their pets may need some goals set for them as well!

There are many lifestyle changes you can make to ensure a happier and healthier life for your pet. Try to work some of these resolutions into your plans:

1. Train your pet. This year, teach your pet a new trick or two. Many pets enjoy mental challenges to give their brain some exercise, plus it’s good bonding time for you and your pet.
2. Slim down that fat dog or cat. Pet obesity is a growing problem that leads to many health issues down the road. These health issues can be potentially expensive and life threatening.
3. Get your pet into a routine. If you have a new puppy or kitten, practice getting them used to regular feeding times and potty times. This will reduce the frequency of “accidents” if they know when they can expect their next visit to the “bathroom”.
4. Kick bad habits. If your pet has separation anxiety, check out some of these tips on how to alleviate the problem. If your pet is a beggar at the dinner table, train him to wait in his bed or space until your meal is finished, and stop feeding table scraps altogether.
5. Make a new pet friend. If your pet is friendly with other pets, introduce him to a new playmate and let them romp around together.
6. Resolve to get out more. Take your pet on more regular walks, to the park, or just let them roam in the backyard more frequently. The new sites and smells keep them busy and are a real treat.
7. Play more. Set aside some extra time each day to play with your pet, whether it be throwing a ball, tug-of-war, or dangling a string throughout the house. This is a great way to give them two things they love: toys and your attention.
8. Give back to the community. Take in a foster pet for a week or volunteer at your local pet shelter to give back to homeless pets.
9. Clean up clutter. Go through that pile of pet toys and get rid of those that your pet no longer plays with.
10. Get your pet checked and vaccinated. Be sure your pet is up to date on the latest vaccinations, and flea and heartworm medications. Also schedule your pet’s regular checkups to ensure they are in tip-top shape!

Good luck and Happy New Year!

We seem to have a distorted view of what food portions should be in the US, which leads to many cases of weight and health problems. The issue of obesity not only affects us, but our pets as well. What we think of as providing extra love and spoiling our pets with bigger meals may actually be causing them health issues and a shorter lifespan.

At least 25% of pets in the US are considered to be overweight and it is becoming an increasing problem and need for pet insurance. Obesity in dogs can be hereditary such as with small hound dogs, Labradors and Collies. However, it all boils down to eating too much and exercising too little.

There are signs for checking if a pet is overweight, the easiest being to examine the animal’s body. In an animal of healthy weight, you should be able to feel the ribs when massaging your pet’s sides and notice a “waist” indentation (Note: if the ribs are too pronounced, your pet may be underweight). Your pet’s weight should be similar to other animals of the same breed that are considered to be a healthy weight. Some signs of weight problems are if your pet is slow to move about and tires easily with exercise.

In the scheme of pet medical problems, we may not think obesity to be very extreme. However, it can lead to many medical complications down the road which are usually accompanied by many trips to the vet and expensive veterinary bills.

Extra weight can cause problems such as:

• Increased stress on joints which can cause arthritis
• Decreased pulmonary capacity – their heart has to work harder to pump
• Breathing difficulties – decreased lung capacity can lead to respiratory problems
• Diabetes
• Greater risk of cancer and skin disease
• Lowered heat tolerance
• Increased risks during surgery and prolonged healing time
• Much shorter lifespan – pets of a healthy weight live about 2 years longer than an overweight pet

If your pet is obese or you are concerned about it gaining weight, there are many steps you can take to ensure your pet will attain that fit physique.

• Feed your pet 2-4 smaller meals a day. More frequent meals will prevent your pet from getting hunger pangs.
• Look into diet foods or high protein diets.** Stay away from foods with fat listed as one of the first four ingredients.
• Reduce the amount you feed your pet per meal, and prevent rapid eating (which can lead to other complications such as bloat in dogs).
• Unless they are high in fiber, skip out on snacks as these usually contain a lot of fat and little nutrients.
• Don’t feed table scraps as these unnecessary “treats” lead to an overweight pet. Not only does table feeding encourage begging, but some human foods are not suitable to animals and can cause serious illness.

While restricting your pet’s diet is one key to the solution, exercise is just as equally important. Exercise allows your pet to express its instinctive behavior such as exploration, chasing, the use of scent, and play. It is also crucial for young, developing animals to get exercise for proper muscular and skeletal development. Lack of exercise can lead to poor muscle development and many undesirable manners including destructive, antisocial, and aggressive behaviors and “accidents” in the house.

Animals vary in the amount of exercise they need depending on size, breed, etc. but regardless of its size, it’s important to give your pet the daily opportunity to run. There are many great reasons for you to exercise with your pet, but of course anything you can do to keep your pet active will ensure a longer and healthier life.

**Before beginning any weight management program, consult your vet and be sure that your pet’s obesity isn’t due to any medical conditions (such as hypothyroidism or Cushing’s disease).