Is Your Pet Overweight?

Did you know that an estimated 54% of US pets are overweight or obese? That means that 93 million pets are in susceptible to unnecessary health risks associated with obesity and these numbers are growing annually.

So what are the health risks for overweight or obese animals? These animals are at a higher risk of developing Osteoarthritis, insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and respiratory disease, cranial cruciate ligament injury, kidney disease, cancer and have a decreased life expectancy (by as much as 2.5 years). 

So how do you know if your pet is overweight?  Use this dog chart and cat chart to judge whether or not your pet is over or under weight. You can also read the ideal weight ranges for purebred animals here. 

So what should you do if your pet is overweight or obese? Proceed with caution. If you do not help your pet lose weight in a safe, and slow manner, it can result in additional health problems and even death. Find out how to help your dog or cat lose weight the safe way!

Information courtesy of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.