Weight Loss a Challenge but Possible in Pets
My-Dog.info > Dogs, Diet & Food
The single most important step in any weight-reduction program
is the acknowledgement that obesity is unhealthy and that
weight-reduction is necessary. Unless an owner is convinced that
obesity is dangerous to their pet's health, the commitment for
weight reduction will be incomplete and the program will be
doomed to failure.
The aim of any weight reduction program is to decrease the
caloric intake (i.e. less food) and increase energy expenditure
(i.e. more exercise). The first step in a successful weight
reduction program is to have your pet examined by a veterinarian.
The reasons for this are two-fold: (1) to make sure there is no
underlying medical reason for the obesity, and (2) to make sure
your pet can safely be put on a diet.
Once a veterinarian has examined your pet, it should be
weighed and a goal should be set for how much weight is to be
lost within a specific period of time. Ideally, your pet should
be placed on a reducing diet (available from your veterinarian).
These diets are balanced rations that have all the necessary
nutrients your pet needs, but less calories than full rations.
Commercially available "light" or calorie-reduced diets
are good for maintaining weight loss or preventing obesity, but
are not recommended for a weight-reduction program.
Three to four small feedings a day actually results in more
energy loss (i.e. calories burned) than one or two large
feedings. You should feed your pet the required daily ration of
food but divide it into three to four small feedings. At the same
time, keep your pet out of the kitchen or dining room when meals
are being prepared or eaten, since these tend to be the times
that begging occurs and snacks are more likely to be fed to pets.
Snacks and treats are probably the single most likely cause of
obesity in pets and they account for the failure of most weight
reduction programs. All snacks and treats including milk bones
and table scraps/treats, should be discontinued for the dieting
pet.
In addition to following your pet's diet, be sure to take your
pet for a brisk walk at least twice daily for 15 to 20 minutes.
For cats, schedule at least two 15-minute play times daily.
During the weight reduction program, you should monitor your
pet's weight regularly. This involves weighing your pet on a
weekly basis and then charting the weight loss on a graph.
Weighing should be done at the same time of the day, preferably
before feeding.
Pets should be reassessed once the desired weight loss has
been achieved so that the pet can be changed from a reducing diet
to a maintenance diet. Otherwise, your pet will continue to lose
weight.
Once the ideal weight has been reached and to make sure your
pet does not regain the lost weight, be sure to avoid in-between
meals snacks, make sure your pet gets enough exercise daily,
continue to chart your pet's weight on a graph and feed a
restricted-calorie diet. Regularly scheduled visits (e.g. every
three months) to the veterinarian to monitor your pet's health
and weight may help prevent relapses.
Reprinted with permission from www.animalhealthcare.ca
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