Is your pet overweight? Don’t take it lightly
Did you know that 30%-50% of Pets are overweight?
Over the last 10 years we have witnessed an increase of 169% in overweight cats and 158% in overweight dogs… the numbers are staggering! Pet owners don’t realize that their pet is overweight as the weight gain gradually happens over time and you might think your chubby pet is cute but a few kilos or even grams can hold some serious health issue for your pet.
Dr. Sara Elliott from British Veterinary Hospital & Marina Vet Clinic, Dubai explains that being overweight can greatly increase the risk of your dog or cat developing serious health risks like osteoarthritis, diabetes, skin conditions, urinary stones, heart disease, etc.
Being overweight has a psychological effect on humans, and it's no different with pets. While your cat or dog don't spend time looking in the mirror wishing they could look better in a bathing suit, overweight pets might refrain from engaging in normal activities. A study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior concludes that cats and dogs can even sometimes overeat to combat stress or negative feelings. Overweight pets have shorter life-spans and lead less happy lives. So, you might ask what causes weight gain? Weight gain is the result of an increase in body fat. This is usually caused by eating too much, especially when combined with lack of exercise. But there can be other contributing factors too. Like breed, age, neutering and feeding habits.
It can be hard to determine whether your pet is overweight, and regular weight checks at your veterinarian is important. Here are however a few tips to check at home, when you pet them on the side you should be able to feel their ribs, but they shouldn't be visible. When they extend their body (for example, if they jump) the ribs should be visible. And when you look at them from above they should have a distinctive waist in front of their hips.
There is however a few things you can do to help your pet. Promoting regular exercise will help the process of healthy weight, but more choosing the right food.
Hill’s Metabolic range pet food is formulated to help your pet maintain a healthy body weight. This prescription food uses nutrigenomics to help your pet ‘s metabolism burn fat rather than storing it. This allows them to lose extra weight and keep it off more effectively.
Hill’s Metabolic is a breakthrough nutrition range proven both clinically, safely supporting weight loss and maintenance. Real life and in home condition feeding study results prove that it safely provides up to 28% body fat loss in 2 months and 88% of the pets lost weight in these 2 months.
This prescription food developed by Hill’s scientists and pet nutritionists uses Nutrigenomics technology and it’s proven effect to naturally improve metabolism in Pets. Simply it helps your pet ‘s metabolism to burn fat rather than storing it. As it works naturally with your pet's unique energy use therefore they feel full and satisfied between meals; this also reduces hunger and begging behaviour. Not only that, Due to an improved metabolism your Pet’s will avoid weight regain following the weight loss programme.
The Dog formula is clinically proven to reduce body weight by 13% in 60 days, and the Cat formula is clinically proven to reduce body weight by 11% in 60 days.
On the other side looking at the evidence, there may be an estimated 18 million dogs suffering from both obesity/being overweight and osteoarthritis. Metabolic range also has a dry food formula for dogs called Metabolic+Mobility that helps to manage these two concurrent health issues: obesity and osteoarthritis. This diet is clinically proven to improve mobility in as little as 21 days and reduce body weight by 13% in 60 days.
For Cats - As Obesity is a strong risk factor for FLUTD (Feline lower urinary tract disorders) including FIC (Feline Idiopathic Cystitis) therefore Dr. Sara Elliott highlights the importance of having the solution from Hill’s called c/d Urinary Stress + Metabolic food. It is designed for cats with weight and stress-related urinary conditions. Apart from weight loss benefits this food can dissolve struvite stones in as little as 7 days.
Ask your vet about Hill’s Metabolic foods which have helped thousands of pets in UAE and around the world to lose weight and maintain a healthy & active life.
