Pet The World

Obesity is one of the greatest health concerns facing dogs. You can and should do something about it. Overweight dogs may live shorter and less healthy lives and your enjoyment of their unconditional love and companionship may be shortened because of it.

Extra pounds place an excess burden on bones and joints and can make arthritis problems worse. Overweight dogs are less able to exercise and play comfortably and their breathing may be labored. Their bodies may be less able to resist infections, and they may be at greater risk for problems during surgery and anesthesia.

Potential health problems include:

• Joint or Locomotion Difficulties. Extra pounds add stress to joints, bones, ligaments and muscles. Conditions such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, spinal disc disease and ruptures of joint ligaments may be caused or aggravated by obesity.

• Heart and Respiratory Disease. Excess fat tissue in the chest cavity and around the muscles of the heart can decrease the efficiency of the heart and lungs. Your dog’s heart and lungs have to work harder to provide adequate oxygen and circulation.

• Diabetes. Just as in humans, diabetes is much more common in obese dogs.

• Liver Disease. Obese dogs are prone to liver disease.

• Heat Intolerance. The insulating properties of excessive fat make it harder for obese dogs to tolerate heat and they feel uncomfortable.

• Skin Problems. Obese dogs may have trouble grooming because the rolls of skin built up by fat deposits can often harbor dirt, bacteria and other harmful organisms.

• Gastrointestinal Disorders. Inflammation of the pancreas is frequently found in obese dogs. It is painful and can be life threatening.

How Dogs Become Overweight?

Dogs most always become overweight from lack of good exercise and from eating more food than they require. Food calories, which aren’t burned during their daily activities, are stored as fat.

Overeating can result from greediness, boredom, or overfeeding. Feeding leftovers or giving frequent snacks or treats often contributes to excess weight problems.

Over-fed puppies tend to become overweight dogs. They also have a greater risk of developing orthopedic problems. Properly feed puppies will be less likely to suffer from weight problems later in life.

Occasionally, metabolic disorders can cause a dog to become overweight. But overfeeding and under exercising are much more common causes of excess weight. If your veterinarian suspects that a metabolic disorder is causing your dog to gain weight, he or she will test for that disorder and treat it accordingly.

How Can I Tell if My Dog is Overweight?

A quick check to determine whether your dog is overweight is to feel his ribs with the flat palm of your hand. If you have difficulty feeling his ribs, then your dog probably needs to lose weight.

Helping Your Dog Lose Weight.

Weight loss for most dogs involves increased exercise and eating food with fewer calories. It’s generally easier to feed normal amounts of a low-calorie dog food than to feed much smaller amounts of his/her regular dog food. In addition, your dog will not feel as hungry when fed a normal amount of food

Dieting for Dogs.

Your vet will help set a weight goal for your dog and will recommend how much food he should eat each day. A special diet may also be prescribed. The food choice should be designed to satisfy your dog’s appetite and provide him all the vitamins and minerals he needs while at the same time helping him to lose weight.

Your dog may need a gradual transition from the old to the new diet. So, you would feed him increasing amounts of the new diet while decreasing the amounts of the previous diet each day over several days until the transition is complete.

To help keep your dog from begging, feed him before your family eats, and keep him out of the room during your meal. It is also a good idea to feed overweight dogs at the same time as other pets to help prevent food stealing from their slimmer companions. Always provide plenty of clean, fresh drinking water.

Regular exercise, such as walks or runs, is good for most dogs because it increases the number of calories they burn. If your dog is old or in poor health, check with your vet before increasing exercise.

The time period your dog will require to lose weight depends upon how much weight he is required to lose. Your dog may need 8 to 14 weeks or longer to reach his target weight.

What Type of Dog Food is Good for Weight Control?

A dieting dog has special nutritional needs. His diet should be balanced with a proper ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates. The diet should also provide a normal volume of food to satisfy his hunger and the food should also provide quality nutrients.

Weight loss plans don’t need to include high levels of fiber. Fiber is not necessary for weight loss in pets, and in large amounts, it may have side effects such as increased feces and lack of interest in the food because of its poor taste.

We recommend Canine Zone - a revolutionary weight loss dog food based on Dr. Barry Sears’ Zone Diet. Millions of people all over the world have improved their health and have lost weight on Dr. Barry Sears’ Zone Diet. Now you can get your dog in “The Zone”. Canine Zone is based on the Zone’s 30-30-40 ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates. This revolutionary new dog food will help your dog achieve a balance so his or her body can operate at its maximum efficiency while shedding unwanted pounds.

Always consult with your vet before you start a weight loss program for your dog.

About The Author

Bev Storer is a writer and researcher in the field of nutrition and nutritional supplements. To learn more about Canine Zone, go to http://www.dog-food-zone.com or e-mail her directly at info@dog-food-zone.com.

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At least once in your dog’s life, it’s likely he will have some type of surgery requiring a general anesthetic; e.g., being neutered.

Hopefully, you’ll have time to prepare your dog and your home for
his recovery.

Here are a few tips to help you both
cope with his aftercare. You may not need this yet but hang on to this
article. You never know.

1. Getting started

When you take your dog to the vet for surgery, make sure you find out
when and how you can get progress reports. If you’re like the rest of
us, you’ll be even more anxious than your dog to make sure all goes well.

Usually vets let dogs go home once they are fully conscious and able to walk.

Make sure you ask the vet about your dog’s after care:

* Diet - cooked, skinned white meat chicken and boiled white rice is usually OK

* Drinking - can he have water right away? Can he suck on ice chips?

* Bandages - are there are dressings or bandages you’ll need to change.

Understand what you’re expected to do.

* Contacts - who do you call if your dog develops any problems especially
if it’s at 3 a.m.

* Medication - what, if any, is required and how may it be given such as
in food or with water

* Exercise - how soon and what type should he get

* Follow ups - make needed appointments for check-ups or removal of stitches

2. Driving home

Make sure you secure your dog on the ride home from the vet. He may be a
bit woozy and wobbly as well as bit depressed. He may have some shaved body
areas and a raw cough if he had an endotracheal tube in his throat.

Be sure to keep any drafts off him and have a little blanket to put on
him in case he seems cold. If there are two humans in the car, you may want
to hold him securely on the back seat while you sit comfortably next to him.

3. Being home

The first thing he’s apt to do is go the potty. You make need to support him
if he’s still wobbly.

Don’t be surprised if he immediately goes to sleep, especially as the anesthetic
wears off, usually 24 to 36 hours.

Make sure your dog has a quiet, warm, draft-free place to sleep.
You’ll want to look on him from time to time but don’t let his peace be disturbed
by too many visitors or too much commotion.

4. Taking his medicine

If he needs medication including pain medication, follow the directions you
got from the vet. If the medication didn’t come with a chart, use a calendar
to mark off each time you give him his medicine so you don’t forget or get
confused on how long ago you gave him something.

Many dogs hate pills but most will swallow them whole if wrapped in peanut butter.

5. Changing dressings

Check the operation site daily to ensure it is healing properly. Don’t bathe
it unless your vet has said it’s OK to do so, but you may need to take action
to prevent your dog from licking it.

If you’re applying any topical medicine to your dog, you’ll find he loves to
lick it off.

Use an Elizabethan collar to stop him from reaching the wound site. Your vet
may supply one or you can buy one from pet stores or via the Internet.

6. Getting back on his feet

Start your dog walking as soon as the vet says it’s OK. You usually don’t
exercise him until all stitches have been removed. If you have an active dog,
you may have to force him to stay off his paws and keep him from running
around the house.

Too much and too strenuous exercise can cause poor wound healing and
inflammation so be sure to follow your vet’s direction to the letter.

If your dog is going to require physical therapy, I hope you have a
pet insurance policy that covers it. This can get expensive quickly.

7. Getting fed

Your small dog may need to be fed more frequently than usual because
he won’t be able to eat much and there is a danger of low blood sugar
if he isn’t fed.

Be sure to give him fresh food, nothing stale or left-over. You don’t
want to risk introducing bacteria when he’s still recovering. You may need to support him if he has trouble eating. Make sure to provide fresh water all day long.

8. Watching for these problems

* Not being fully conscious after 36 hours

* Cold and clammy paws and pale gums

* Allergic reactions around the mouth, face or throat as a result of anesthetic or medication

* Feces containing blood

* Bleeding, swelling, redness , oozing or bad odors at the operation site

* Pulling out stitches

Happily with today’s veterinary medicine, complications are unlikely
but alertness on your part can stop any small problem from growing into
a major problem. Best wishes to your all.

Louise Louis is a certified canine specialist and
creator of the popular website on small dogs,
http://www.ToyBreeds.com

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Over time, it has become increasingly apparent that we need to watch what we eat in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce the effects of aging and diseases in the body. Our pets are in the same position as we are. By eating foods that are hard to digest, full of chemicals or contain little nutritional value, we are reducing the quality and the length of life of mans best friend.

Just imagine if we were to live on a diet completely made from synthetic materials and empty calories, or what we would call junk food. Because of this lifestyle, our health would suffer. We would be more likely to suffer from disease and reduce our lifespan considerably. The same applies to our pets, and often without our knowing it, we are the main cause of this problem.

Buying dog foods from the supermarket shelf is much the same as buying junk food for us; many dog foods contain chemical and flavor enhancers, the food which is often poor in quality, and most definitely not suitable for human consumption.

The process in which many dog foods are made includes rigorous cooking techniques, which destroys the natural colorings and flavors in the food. The result is that your pet may be eating artificial colors and flavors as well as missing out on the nutritional value of quality wholesome ingredients needed to live a healthy life.

The best way to find out what it is you are feeding your pet is to investigate the ingredients that are in the dog food; the first five ingredients listed on the label are the main content of the food. If the dog food contains by-products this is usually parts of animals that are low in protein and not really good for your pet, for example, ground feet, bones and intestines.

Look out for chemical preservatives used to keep the food from spoiling; these are often called BHA and BHT. Grains, such as corn, wheat, gluten, and soy are also very difficult for your pet to digest, and are used as a protein source, instead of meat products.

Ideally, a pet food should contain wholesome ingredients that are easy for your pet to digest; the main ingredient should be meat, quality meat that is fit for human consumption. Vegetables, anti oxidants, bacteria cultures, and protenated minerals should also be high on the list. Grains are not ideal for pets, with the exception of whole grain brown rice, which is easy for your pet to digest as well as helping to promote a healthy coat.

All of these impressive ingredients are useless, unless a proper technique free of colorings and flavorings are used. Pet food should be cooked in a way that locks in the protein, minerals, and fibers right from the start, without the need for artificial ingredients to be added.

Your pet deserves the chance to live a healthy lifestyle, just the same as its owners do. By providing nutritional, healthy wholesome premium dog and cat food for your pet, you can show your best friends how much you really care for them.

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