Educational Topics For You and Your Pet(s):
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Obesity is a problem for well over half the humans in America and an equal problem for well over half the pets in the United States. We have taken one of our leading diseases (obesity) and shared it with our pets. People like to tell me “oh, Fluffy is overweight because she is spayed”. This simply isn’t true. While spaying does reduce the caloric need of pets, it is overfeeding that makes them fat, not the surgery. The AMA published a study within the last year that had a title something like “If your pets are overweight, you aren’t exercising enough”. Like in humans, obesity is linked to several things. Most of all, obesity is linked to eating too much. Secondly, it is linked to insufficient exercise. Lastly, it is linked to genetics. It is far too easy for people to blame the last factor (genetics) for weight problems but the reality is that the majority of obese animals (and people) are that way because they eat too much or eat the wrong things.
How do we tell if our pets are overweight? A normal weighted animal should have a clearly defined “waist” both from the top view and the side view. Their ribs should be easily palpable under a thin layer of fat and visible when the dog bends or turns. Their spine should be well padded and, while you should be able to feel their hip bones with light pressure, they should not be visible. Now, Mastiffs have slightly different “Normal body condition” than say, a Greyhound but these general guidelines apply to most animals. So, if your dog looks like a box with legs, he or she is overweight.
Several months ago, I put up as a topic something about premium dog foods and why they were important. No one was interested then but now is as good a time as any to bring up the importance of feeding quality foods. I don’t think anyone will argue that there is a substantial difference between eating French fries and eating a salad, both as far as nutritional value and as far as calories…. Or even the difference between French fries and a baked potato as far as quality and nutritional value. However, many people seem to have a mental block when it comes to the difference between feeding a cheap diet and feeding a quality diet. Ol Roy is among the cheapest and worst diet on the market. I know that it meets minimum standards as far as protein, fat, etc but just because it meets the minimum, does not in any way imply it’s healthy. And, like many other cheap diets, it is full of fillers, additives and “flavor enhancers” which, while they make the food palatable, do nothing for the overall health of the animal eating them. Of note, there are substantial fillers and flavor enhancers in your McDonald’s French fry (you don’t think they really cook it in beef tallow to give it that wonderful flavor, do you? It is created by adding lots of chemicals to heavily processed potato substance).
Now, to stave off the next most common thing I hear – “I feed my dog that 21% protein diet from the feed store” to which I want to say… “SO?” The amount of protein in a dog’s food is in no way an indicator of either the quality of the protein or the bioavailability of the protein. There’s a lot of protein in the snouts, ears, feet and innards of your average cow but how many of us would care to eat them? However, these are the products that are commonly used as protein fillers in commercial pet foods. If you read a label and it says “animal digest” that is even worse – that’s nothing but the unusable portions of the guts mixed with enzymatically processed animal waste like fat, connective tissue and other inedible portions. When you read about “ash” content, this gets really gross. When an animal is too sick to slaughter, it is sent to be rendered (think “cooked at very high temperatures for a very long time”) after which this goo is sent through a flash frier that flash cooks (also at very high temperatures) the goo into ash… which is then added to most low to mid grade pet foods as a filler. This stuff has NO nutritional value at all – it just takes up space so the animal feels full. You will note that your higher end pet foods don’t contain this stuff.
So, what’s this have to do with obesity? It’s simple, really – garbage in = fat dog. High quality nutrients in = less fat dog. If you are feeding good stuff, it then comes down to HOW MUCH you’re feeding and how much your pet is exercising on whether they will get fat or not.
So, how much is too much? Most people overfeed their animals. If they aren’t overfeeding with their regular diet, they are overfeeding treat foods. It is a common practice for many owners to leave food down all the time. With only a few exceptions (all of which are based on medical conditions), no animal needs food down all the time. For cats, two or three meals a day is perfect. For most dogs, one is plenty. Some owners prefer to feed their dog twice daily because of their lifestyle and this is OK so long as you don’t give too much at each feeding. A good rule of thumb is 10 minutes to eat twice daily… and that’s it. (Keep in mind, pets need fresh, clean water available 24/7). But then comes the treats. I’ll never forget an elderly couple who was trying to get their dog to lose weight. We had placed the dog on a prescription diet and she was still not losing. I’d checked her for thyroid problems and interrogated the owners time and again about how much they were feeding the dog. I had the dog on a very regimented exercise program which the owners were following. Finally, at one of our meeting, the female owner said “I just don’t understand it, Doc. We’re doing everything you say and she doesn’t get anything except the food you recommended and her treats.” This was the first time “treats” had been mentioned. So, I asked what kind and how many. The owners thought for a bit and said “Milk bones” (a good moderate to low fat treat) and “no more than 20-30 per day.” WHOOPS! We cut out the milkbones and the dog trimmed up perfectly over the next 6 months. We humans often are told to snack through the day (and it has been proven to be a better way for us to lose weight) but dogs and cats are carnivores, not omnivores like us. They do best with one or two meals per day. And all the little snacks add up significantly. I recommend no more than 2-3 snacks per day and it is important that they be sized appropriately for your pet. For example, a Yorkie eating 1-2 large sized milk bones/day will get in trouble with their weight fast but that’s ok for a Labrador retriever.
Now, exercise. How much is enough? Realistically speaking, the normal human can not overexercise their dog (provided the dog is healthy) because we will get tired long before they will. If you have a really overweight or ill animal, just like in humans “always consult your doctor before starting an exercise program”. This will enable us to custom tailor a program to best suit your pet. For cats (most of whom don’t like to go on walks), never underestimate the power of encouraging them to chase a ball around the house. Another good thing for cats, if possible, is make sure their litter box and food bowls are no where near their favorite sleeping spot. This makes sure that they have to move at least a little every day. Some breeds of dog are much more likely to put on weight than others. For example, the Italian Greyhound is such a high strung dog, they tend to keep their weight down without a whole lot of work. A Beagle, on the other hand, is kind of like me – they can look at a kibble of food and gain weight just by sniffing it. But exercise is very important. Also, a recent study showed that people who have trim dogs (meaning they get walked regularly) have a significantly lower incidence of heart disease. So, get out there and walk!!
Finally, who cares if our pets are fat? Well, I do and you should. Obesity in pets is strongly linked to the development of several serious diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. In a sad state of affairs, it used to be a fact that dogs did not get heart attacks (caused by coronary artery disease). However, as more and more people are feeding fast food to their pets, the pets incidence of coronary artery disease is skyrocketing up. Heart attacks in dogs, although still rare, are almost universally fatal. We simply don’t have veterinary “Cardiac Care Wings” in most vet hospitals. And, like in humans, obesity can cause a significantly shorter life expectancy.
New Years is just past and we are already starting to have some nice spring days. Do you and your pet a favor – get out there and exercise!!
Obesity in Pets
So… do pets need to be indoors? There are pros and cons to having an outdoor exclusive pet. The bottom line is that dogs and cats both evolved living out of doors and regardless of what we may tend to think, can do just fine as outdoor pets. Do keep in mind that outdoor pets tend to have shorter life expectancies because they are more exposed to diseases, trauma and other problems. However, if you are going to have an outdoor pet, there are some very specific things you need to have properly provided in order to keep them safe and healthy:
1 - Access to fresh water. Water bowls need to be changed daily for outdoor animals for a variety of reasons. First of all, pets need fresh water. Secondly, if you don’t change the water daily, mosquitoes will grow in it and they can transmit all sorts of diseases to both you and your pets.
2 - Food. Outdoor pets do NOT need food available to them 24 hours/day (neither do indoor pets). Leaving food lying around attracts rodents and insects. If you put out a huge bowl of dry food then simply look at it from the air-conditioned comfort of your home and decided there was still plenty of food in it, can you tell if it is full of weevils? Or maggots? You can’t, which is why it should never be left outside. And what if it gets rained on? Then it can (and will) mold. All dogs do fine with 20 minutes to eat once a day. Cats do better with 10-20 minutes to eat two or three times daily. Food left lying around that attracts rodents can also lead to disease in your pets. Mouse urine, for example, carries several pathogens. Finally, leaving food lying around all the time promotes obesity in pets.
3 - Shelter. Dogs and cats both need adequate shelter. Adequate means all of the following:
- Protection from rain
- Protection from wind (winter)
- Protection from sun
- Sufficient ventilation (summer)
- Adequate 3 dimensional bedding that animals can nestle down (winter)
Additionally, in the summer time, you may want to consider a kids wading pool so that your back yard dog can stay cool. Keep in mind, that even dog houses need shade (like under a tree) because otherwise, they simply become ovens in summer sunshine.
4 - Exercise. Nothing sickens me more than seeing a dog tied to a dog house with the ground torn up bare in the circumference of its chain. This tells me that the dog is NEVER off the chain and there isn’t even any grass for the dog to walk in. Even outdoor animals should be exercised daily (walk on a leash) because, like us, many of them are “couch potatoes” and they also enjoy the interaction with their owners.
5 - Fencing: Dogs (in particular) should be fenced if kept outdoors. While tying out on a runner line may acceptable, nothing replaces a fence for protecting your outdoor pet. Pets that live inside a fence never come to my office for dog fight wounds, hit by car trauma, gun shot wounds, malicious poisonings, and other environmental dangers. I know fencing may not be financially feasible for everyone but I really believe your pet should be fenced if at all possible. Beware the potential dangers of wireless fencing. While it may keep a calm dog in, an energetic dog (who just had a cat tell him his mother dressed him funny) will bolt through the wireless fence on the way OUT but then be unwilling to cross it again on the way IN. Cats are subject to standard fencing, too. While some cats will climb chain link fences (like mine), most will not make the effort and it keeps them safe from harm, too. Fencing also helps prevent unwanted pregnancies in your dogs. Be advised, however, that dogs CAN breed through a chain link fence (don’t ask me how – I’ve just seen the devastating results for the male dog)
Keep in mind when discussing cats that they are very hard on the environment and are responsible for putting several local species of birds on threatened lists. Really, truly, cats are better kept indoors or only out under supervision because of this reason.
With a proper environment, outdoor pets can lead a safe and happy life.
Outdoor Environments for Pets
