Weight Changes in your Pet May be a Sign of Something More Serious

It is not uncommon for one of my clients to be utterly surprised when they realize that their dog or cat’s weight has topped the scale either up or down. Why didn’t they discover the change? It’s because it often comes about over time, day by day, right in front of their eyes.

A rise in weight may be due to the obvious. Too many goodies in but not enough physical exercise. Even though you believe that you are practicing great portion control, over nutrition can certainly occur. A cup of food to one person is not ample to the next. So they really offer a bit more. You merely give`a’ treat, while the next overly generous family member gives two or three. Extra calories add up very quickly. Did you know that a one pound weight gain for a Chihuahua is comparable to a one hundred and twenty five pound woman putting on thirty one pounds?

There are also several less evident explanations for an increase in your pet’s waist-line. Hormonal problems for example an underactive thyroid,( hypothyroidism) or an overactive adrenal gland causing hyperadrenocorticisim,(Cushing’s disease), can affect metabolic rate. Neutering also has metabolic repercussions. Research has shown that after a pet undergoes a castration or an ovariohysterectomy (spay), the rate at which they burn energy is reduced by nearly a third A neutered pet still incurs much more positive effects than the unfavorable so I remain a strong proponent of these surgical procedures.

Advancing age can certainly be the reason for your four-legged friend packing on the pounds. As we grow older we begin to reduce lean muscle. Muscle needs a great deal of energy in order to function properly. Less muscle mass results in less requirement for calories. Don’t be misled into serving your pet the exact same quantity you did when it was younger and toted the same weight. Its energy needs have scaled downwards.

A rise in weight can pose dangerous health risks for your family pet. An obese pet can have respiratory issues, a compromised immune system, be at increased danger for anesthesia, grapple with skin disorders, and be misersble with pain from overburdened joints or spinal disc disease. Research has revealed that obese pets age faster and also have a decreased quality of life.

Weight loss may be just as serious. You might think that your cat has discovered the fountain of youth. It is eating more food, racing around like a kitten and is slimming down. In fact, your kitty may be a victim of an overactive thyroid. If left untreated, hypertension, sudden blindness and heart complications may ensue.

Ailments such as diabetes mellitus, digestive system problems, liver failure, cancer as well as dental disease may cause a pet to suddenly lose weight and condition.

How can you tell if your family pet is in shape? While your pet is standing, you ought to observe an indentation behind it’s ribcage. Place your hand on the side of its chest and with light pressure, you should be able to feel the ribs. If you are pinching an inch, it is obese. If the ribs are very overly notable, your pet may be undernourished. What kind of diet and how much is ideal for your pet’s stage of life? Your veterinarian is best proficient expert to make these kinds of determinations with your assistance. But things will change. Develop a twice yearly wellness examination for your pet. This very simple act can improve the chances that your dog or cat will age gracefully.

This entry was posted on 12. May 2010 at 10:49 and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.