This is Katy, one of our senior patients.
It’s a sobering reality. You have the ability to help your pet live longer by keeping her from becoming obese.
Being overweight can lead to many problems in cats and dogs, including inflammation, orthopedic disease, cancer, respiratory disorders, and endocrine or metabolic disorders. But the most serious consequence of being overweight is a reduced life expectancy.
Several years ago, Purina conducted a very interesting study about pet obesity. They chose 48 Labrador retrievers from seven litters, and tracked them throughout their lives. The dogs were cared for and fed identically with one exception – one dog in each pair was given 25% less food.
The results showed that the dogs who ate less and maintained an ideal weight lived 15% – nearly two years – longer than their littermate. By age 14, all of the dogs with the higher calorie diet had passed away; 25% of the lean fed dogs were still alive.
The simple truth is this – you can help your pet live longer by controlling weight!
If you think your pet might have a weight problem (or if you don’t think he does – but we do š ), let’s talk about it. We’ll prescribe diet and exercise to help get the weight under control, and help you keep your furbaby alive longer.
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