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How To Tell If Your Pet Is Overweight

Cat Care, Cats, Dog Treats, Dog Walking, Dogs, Helpful Pet Tips, Pet Care, Pet Health & Safety, Pet-Friendly Charleston, SC

Did you know that more than 50% of U.S. pets are overweight? That’s not a good thing to hear, especially when being overweight can lead to tons of health problems for your beloved pet. It could mean a shorter life span, it can aggregate joint disease, lead to Type 2 Diabetes, worsen heart conditions, and lead to skin diseases. Who would have thought all those extra treats could cause such awful things?

How can you tell if your dog or cat is overweight?

Ideally, when you look down your pet should have an hourglass shape. Dogs and cats should both have a definite waist or an inward taper between their abdomen and hips. You should be able to feel their ribs, but not see them.

If your pet is overweight, focus on these 3 things to help them lose the extra pounds:

  1. Make sure you are feeding them the appropriate amount of food. Check your dog or cat’s food label to find out the recommended amount of food for their weight range. Use a measuring cup when you scoop out their food so you know you are feeding them the right amount.
  2. Switch up their treats to something healthy. Try giving your dog carrots, fresh green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, apple slices (no seeds), banana slices, or watermelon. My dogs are obsessed with carrots!
  3. Don’t forget exercise! Dogs should get at least one 30 minute walk every day. If walks aren’t your thing, schedule a visit with Charleston Dog Walker for some exercise time! Or you can head over to a local dog park and let them run with some doggy friends. Here are our favorite dog parks in Charleston. For your kitty, spend some time playing with toys that get them up and moving, like a laser pointer or any toy they can bat around.

Your pet’s weight is very important, so take the time to make these simple changes to their lifestyle. They can’t make the changes without you!

Charleston Dog WalkerCharleston Dog Walker provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in your home that is customized to your pet’s needs. We’re so happy you found us (and we know your pet is, too!) and we would truly be honored to be your pet care provider. Give us a call at 843-580-2212 or contact us to get more information about how we can help your pet!