What are the risks and how to detect obesity in pets?
It is considered that the most spoiled of the home are obese if they are 15 to 20 percent over their ideal weightand can be influenced by causes of diet, race, inactivity or consumption of food not suitable for its species.
Among the risks are: reduced life expectancycardiovascular and respiratory problems, diabetes, arthritis or the presence of urinary stones.
Being overweight affects the character of the pet, that they become “apathetic” and that they have no motivation or energy. It will also make it difficult for the dog or cat to move in an agile way, since the joints begin to feel pressure and are not prepared to support excess weight.
To detect if a dog or cat is obese, follow the steps below recommended by Fabiola Rocha, MVZ and scientific communication manager for Royal Canin:
1. Observe: Pets with this problem change their behavior and avoid physical activity.
2. Feel: Touch its back with your open hand and feel the texture of the bones below your knuckles. This sensation should be perceived at the height of your pet’s ribs without the need to press with the fingertips. If your ribs feel the same way, that means the pet is in good weight condition. Touch the base of your thumb in the palm of your hand -in this area you do not feel the bone because it is very fleshy-, if the height of the pet’s ribs feels like the palm of the hand, it is likely that it suffers from overweight.
3. Act: Before any suspected overweight or some other disease in the pet You should go to the veterinarian, who will assess your health status and give a guide with measures to be taken in the event of any ailment.
As soon as the obese pet begins to lose weight, their lifestyle will improve; your state will be more active and happy and will have a longer life.