Dogs and Cats become members of our families, and you are searching for the Ways to Keep Your Dogs and Cats Slim? Today I found this article at care2.com. These five tips can help you trim excess pounds off your pet and keep her healthier.
According to the latest veterinary surveys, more than half of our nations dogs and cats are overweight. This means almost 90 million dogs and cats are at a higher risk for developing arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and some forms of cancer. If you put your hands around your pet’s chest and can’t feel the ribs without pressing, you’ve got a fat pet. So how are you going to slim down your dogs and cats? The answer may be easier than you think.
Calculate Calories
Make sure your pet gets the right number of calories by adjusting its diet, and also by making sure it gets sufficient physical activity. If you dont know how many calories your pet needs each day, you dont know how much food to offer. And dont think you can trust the bag feeding guidelines are formulated for active, adult, unspayed or unneutered dogs and cats. This means that if you your pet is an older spayed or neutered indoor lap lounger, you are likely overfeeding if youre following the manufacturers instructions. Instead, ask your veterinarian to calculate the number of calories your pet needs each day. Or use this formula: Divide your pets weight in pounds by 2.2. Multiply that figure by 30. Then add 70. This number will give you a good idea of how many calories a typical inactive, indoor, spayed or neutered pet needs. Of course, each pets metabolism is different, so consult your veterinarian before starting your pet on a diet.Measure Meals – Your greatest tool in the fight against a pets excess weight might be your measuring cup. Too many pet owners simply fill the bowl or guesstimate how much theyre feeding. Studies have shown that feeding as few as 10 extra kibbles of food per day can add up to a pound of weight gain in a year for indoor cats and small dogs. Keep in mind that for the average 10-pound cat or small dog, this is a 10 percent weight gain. After you calculate how many calories your pet needs, determine how much food you should feed at each meal and measure it. Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-sneaky-ways-to-keep-dogs-and-cats-slim.html#ixzz3XpF3SSSO
