Why Pudgy Pets aren’t so Cute

Just like the rest of America, our nation’s pets have expanding waistlines. According to the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention, about 54% of pets in America are overweight or obese. While being curvy may be cute, it is not healthy. Pets that are overweight are at increased risk for the following:

• Osteoarthritis
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart and respiratory disease
• Joint injury including cranial cruciate ligament injury
• Kidney disease
• Many forms of cancer
• Decreased life expectancy (up to 2.5 years!)

If those aren’t reasons enough to take your pet’s weight seriously, then nothing is. If you are not sure if your pet is overweight, be sure to ask us at your pet’s next checkup. We can also give you helpful tips in order to aid in shedding pounds including prescription diets and lab work to rule out underlying medical conditions.