How to Help Your Pet Lose Weight

Pet Health Articles

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First, you identified that your pet has a weight problem. Now, you need to find out how you can help your pet lose weight.

Although intimidating, reversing your pet’s weight gain isn’t the most challenging process out there. In many cases, weight loss can be achieved by changing up your pet’s daily routine and by monitoring the calories they consume versus the calories they burn.

Before taking any action, keep in mind that you’ll want to bring your pet in for a visit with your local veterinarian to rule out other underlying health issues that may mimic weight gain. Once health issues have been ruled out, you and your vet can move forward with developing a weight loss plan.

Develop a Weight Loss Program for Your Dog

Put your dog on a diet

Dieting is naturally going to be the strongest component of weight loss, keeping gradual loss and safety top of mind. Typically, feeding your pet according to their RER (resting energy requirements) should be sufficient in achieving ideal weight. RER is a benchmark of the caloric intake needed by your pet to maintain essential body functions. It is calculated as follows:

RER = 70 * (Pets weight, in kilograms)3/4

For example, if a dog needs to be 25 kilograms (55 pounds) to be their ideal, healthy weight, they should eat approximately 780 calories per day. When calculating this, be sure to go off their ideal weight, not their current/overweight number on the scale.

Of course, this measurement is very generalized. Determining how much you need to feed your pet will be unique to their size and starting weight relative to that of their ideal weight. Your veterinarian will incorporate these factors when providing recommendations on what type of food and how much to feed your companion.

Once you start your pet on a diet, it’s important to benchmark their weight over time to ensure that the diet is working effectively and in a safe manner. For dogs, aiming for 3-5% body weight loss per month is healthy. Under ideal circumstances, your pet should be able to reach a healthy weight in about 6-8 months. You’ll want to continue monthly check-ins with your veterinarian to monitor this progress and your pet’s health.

Develop an exercise routine

The second major component of any weight loss program is exercise. In general, dogs should be going on a 30-minute walk twice per day with ample time for fetch and other activities in between.

It’s important to note that if you are looking to specifically increase weight loss for your dog through walking, you will have to move at a quicker pace than your average leisurely walk with the goal to elevate your pet’s heart rate. You’ll know you’re walking fast enough for your dog when you’re breaking a small sweat and their breathing increases.

If your pet can’t quite muster the energy for that amount of fitness, you can work your way up to it. The key is to encourage activity as much as possible.

Change up treats

While reducing the amount of treats you should give your pet is a no-brainer, consider altering what those treats are. If you haven’t tried it already, you’ll find that most dogs love fruits and veggies, like apples, bananas, blueberries, carrots, celery and broccoli. The crunchier the better!

Move the bowl

Along the lines of encouraging movement, change the location of your pet’s food bowl. Placing it in different rooms and moving it around will keep your companion active. Even better, incorporate a puzzle feeder so your pet must work to get their food.

Alter meal size

Instead of feeding your pet twice or three times per day in larger quantities, give smaller meals frequently. This will allow you and your pet to better pace their eating and keep them more satiated throughout the day.

Don’t give in!

Unfortunately, reducing food intake will likely magnify any begging behaviors that your pet currently employs to get you to feed them more. Stay strong! And try your best to not feed your dog the table scraps at the end of the night.

 

At Pet Butler, we want your pet to feel and be their healthiest and happiest. Free up your time spent doing chores so you can have more quality time with your furry companion. We’ll take care of your dog’s waste removal on a weekly, every other week or monthly basis.

 

Obesity in Senior Pets

Pet Health Articles

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Much like people, our beloved furry friends experience physical decline as they age. Because of this, they are more likely to gain weight as they get older.

Perhaps you’ve seen the pounds adding on as your pet ages despite maintaining the same feeding, walking and general health routines you’ve followed for years. It can be frustrating and confusing seeing your pet travel down this road. You might question why it’s happening and what you can do about it.

Why Senior Pets Gain Weight

It’s valuable to understand the variety of health complications that can arise as your pets grow older and their role in this challenging subject. Many times, weight gain in senior pets is caused by a purely medical reason. Among a few medical ailments, two of the most common illnesses we see in older pets surrounding weight gain are hypothyroidism and hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease).

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a condition wherein your pet’s thyroid gland, a gland that produces metabolism-controlling hormones, is underactive. When the thyroid produces too little of these metabolic hormones, weight gain and other symptoms can develop. It’s especially prevalent in larger dogs.

Cushing’s disease

Cushing’s disease impacts the body in a similar manner. With this endocrine disorder, often caused by overmedication, too much cortisol is being produced or administered to your pet. This steroid also controls metabolic rates and other bodily functions and can result in systemic weight gain.

Arthritis

Arthritis is also prevalent in older pets. Carrying extra weight compounds the stress on joints making movement more painful, decreasing the ability to exercise and causing more weight gain. Ouch!

Heart or respiratory disease

Heart or respiratory disease can cause your senior pet to gain weight. It can decrease your dog’s exercise tolerance making weight loss an even greater uphill battle.

Weight Loss Tips for Senior Dogs

The bottom line is that these weight-related issues often arise secondary to other factors, and it’s best to seek assistance from your trusted pet professionals to understand exactly what changes are happening to your pet. Fortunately, there is a myriad of ways you can support your pet in their later years, like changing feeding and exercise behaviors and treating any underlying health concerns.

Assess your pet’s food

In addition to determining appropriate caloric intake, look at the nutritional breakdown of the food you’re providing your companion. You’ll want to purchase premium adult formulas, watching out for artificial additives, preservatives and other chemicals that might be thrown into the mix.

For older dogs, look for products that are high in protein, medium in fat and low in carbohydrate composition. Protein strengthens the immune system and supports the central nervous system, benefits of which are highly valuable to our aging pets.

Monitor water intake

On a similar note, it’s important to monitor the amount of water your pet is drinking. If you’ve noticed an excessive intake of water by your aging pet, this could be indicative of liver, kidney or endocrine disease. As with anything, moderation is key. Too much or too little intake of fluids should raise concern and should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Maintain an exercise routine

In an ideal world, your pet’s exercise behaviors and general activity shouldn’t decline as they age. For dogs, two 30-minute walks a day should be a part of your daily routine. If that’s not the case, incorporate walks or find other ways to exercise your dog’s body and mind. Not only will this combat aging-induced weight gain, but it will also enhance their metabolism and provide mental stimulation.

If your pet is struggling to keep up while exercising, start with shorter, slower walks with plenty of breaks so they can catch their breath. Make sure the ambient temperature is comfortable for your dog, too. Incorporate some hills and bursts of speed as they build strength and duration.

A great alternative to walking for older dogs is swimming. Not only is swimming a full-body workout but it’s also easier on their body, specifically their joints. As a low impact, non-weight bearing form of exercise, swimming is a fantastic way of elevating metabolism, decreasing inflammation and enhancing circulation in your pup. There’s no shame in putting your dog in a life vest for safety, as doggy paddling isn’t an inborn ability!

Feeding your senior pet the proper food for their age, breed and lifestyle and maintaining an exercise routine can be the answers to helping your fur-ever friend lose necessary weight; however, it’s important to remember that weight gain in older pets can be caused by underlying health issues.

Obesity in senior pets can be linked to hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease), arthritis, respiratory challenges, heart disease and a slew of other issues. If you’re concerned about behavioral and physical changes in your older pet, don’t hesitate to reach out to your veterinarian. Put your worries to rest and find the best ways to support your pet.

 

At Pet Butler, we want you to be able to focus on your pet’s health and livelihood. Let us take care of the dirty work. We offer poop scooping services that can occur weekly, every other week or monthly. We even offer cleanup for a special occasion, party or holiday weekend.

 

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