Is Your Pet Overweight?

Weight issues in pets are a growing problem, with obesity being the most common form of malnutrition we see.

If your pet is greater than 30% above its ideal bodyweight, then it is obese.

Just as in people, overweight pets are predisposed to a number of conditions including arthritis, diabetes, skin disease, respiratory disease and cardiac disease.

When compared to their littermates, dogs that were maintained at their ideal bodyweight

  • Lived 18 months longer
  • Had a much lower incidence of osteoarthritis
  • Had a much lower incidence of diabetes
  • Presented on average 2 years later with chronic diseases

Successful weight loss in pets is best achieved through a combination of owner management, regular checks and a customised weight loss plan

We are here to assist you with this by:

  • Examining your pet to ensure there is no underlying reason that it might be overweight
  • Talking to you about the way your pet is currently fed in terms of amounts, type of food and timing of feeds and about the amount of exercise your pet does
  • Setting a target weight for your pet to achieve
  • Advising you as to type of food and amounts to be fed in order to achieve that goal in a manageable and safe way
  • Advising you of manageable ways to increase your pet’s activity levels
  • Monitoring your pet’s weight loss through regular weigh ins and measurements

Why use specific weight loss food?

Good quality weight loss pet foods have the following advantages:

  • They are formulated to make your pet feel full
  • This is achieved thought high protein and/or high fibre levels and aeration of the kibble
  • If your pet does not feel hungry, it will be less inclined to thieve, beg or scavenge
  • The amounts to be fed are easily measurable with proven guidelines in terms of amount fed to achieve weight goals
  • They are nutritionally balanced
  • They contain Chondroitin and Glucosamine to assist with joint health
  • They contain essential fatty acids, to assist with skin and coat care and brain function
  • Some actually alter the metabolic rate of your pet to help achieve weight loss more easily

Exercise

  • Exercise is an important part of any weight loss program.
  • If you would like a list of local dog parks, dog agility groups and other social exercise opportunities for you and your dog, we can provide that
  • Cats can be more tricky but even a small increase in their activity levels can make a difference.
  • You can try providing your cat with toys and playing with if for a few minutes each day
  • Moving your cat’s feeding station so it has to climb or ascend a ramp to get to it
  • Provide “cat trees” for indoor cats

If your cat likes to lie in one spot all the time, every time you walk past it, pick it up and put it down somewhere else so it has to walk back to it’s favourite spot

Click here for Local Off-leash Dog Parks

  • Kalinga Park, Park Ave, Wooloowin
  • Crosby Park, Crosby Road, Albion
  • Albert Bishop Park, 78 Hendley Avenue, Nundah
  • Shaw Estate Park, Shaw Rd, Wavell Heights
  • Boyd Park, 11 Boyd Rd, Nundah
  • Hercules Street Park, 40 Remora Rd, Hamilton
  • Kokoda Park, 7 Tindal St, Gordon Park
  • 7th Brigade Park, Murphy Road, Chermside
  • Downfall Creek Reserve, Jefferis Street, Virginia
  • Turquoise Place Park, 20 Primrose Cl, Wavell Heights
  • Northgate Reserve, 672 Nudgee Rd, Northgate
  • Tuckeroo Park – Nudgee Beach

Dog Agility Classes

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