Is your pet obese?

Hi everyone, I came across this article in the Los Angeles Times about a new drug to combat obesity in pets.

The article got me to thinking about our pets' diet and their overall nutrition. If obesity in our pets is on the rise (estimated to be between 25 and 40 percent), what are we doing wrong?

First, let's look at their diet. Are you feeding Fido a premium dog food? As you well know, I am a proponent of Wellness brand dog food (they also have a complete line of feline products – but I'm a dog owner, so bear with me). Wellness Dry Dog Food is made with human-grade protein sources (not animal by-products), whole grains like oatmeal, barley and brown rice, carrots, apples, spinach, blueberries, sweet potatoes and flax seeds. Wellness is formulated without extra fat and calories. (You can find Wellness brand dog and cat foods through the Portal at our partner stores, dog.com and cat.com.)

Now supplementation. If you aren't already giving your pet PetHealth™ OPC Formula and the PetHealth™ Dog and Cat Multivitamin Formulas, you should really consider incorporating these into your pets diet. PetHealth food supplements are designed specifically for cats and dogs, not humans. Save the Isotonix^® for you and your kids – pets have different nutritional requirements, so what may be a safe and beneficial amount for you, may be toxic for your pets. A lot of care and consideration has gone into the PetHealth formulas to ensure that they are providing the key vitamins and minerals necessary to promote the normal growth and development of your pets. PetHealth Multivitamin Formulas help promote normal energy levels, which should come in handy with an overweight pet. PetHealth OPC Formula also promotes joint health, which will definitely come in handy not only as they age, but throughout their active life.

Exercise, exercise, exercise! Think of all of the benefits exercise provides you. It keeps you healthy, keeps your energy levels up and puts you in a good mood. When was the last time you took your dog for a walk and it put him or her in a bad mood? My dog loves to go for walks. One of my goals for the summer was to go to the park everyday after work. It's great for Sebastian (my border collie), he gets a ton of guaranteed exercise everyday, and it's great for me too. Instead of parking my butt on the sofa when I get home, it's off to the park for a three mile walk. Even if you're at home all day, following you around the house is not exercise. So pick up that dusty leash and go for an invigorating walk.

Before you reach for a miracle diet pill for your pets, consider some of the safer alternatives.

Also, as a side note, if you can think of any ways to get your cat off the sofa and into shape, please feel free to post them here.