Obesity is the number one killer that threatens the health of pets, and most pets suffer from obesity because pet owners are used to it. In academic terms, obesity is defined as a hyperlipidemia nutritional disorder that is prone to occur in dogs and cats. So how can we know if pets are suffering from obesity? Why do pets get sick? How to prevent and treat?

According to international standards, dogs and cats are generally considered to be more than 10%-15% of their normal body weight. obesity. Symptoms are subcutaneous fat thickening, especially the abdomen and both sides of the body (similar to people, the belly and waist are fat first), the body is plump and round, the walking is shaking, the response is slow, and the person is unwilling to move. International standards cannot be directly used by us, so experts have come up with a simple method. Pet owners can touch the ribs of dogs or cats with their hands. If there is no obvious layering, or they cannot be touched at all, it is a manifestation of obesity. . Or the pet owner can stand behind the dog or cat (what a strange position!), press the thumbs of both hands on the midline of its back spine, the other fingers on the ribs, move the hands back and forth, and feel the fat on the edges of the ribs. If there is obvious fat accumulation in the grooves, your pet may be too fat!

Causes of obesity

Pet obesity and Breed, age and sex are related. According to a survey, cats and dogs over 10 years old have a 60% chance of being obese, and females are more likely to suffer from obesity than males. Pugs in dogs, Labradors and shorthairs in cats are all fat-prone breeds. In fact, the main cause of obesity is the problem of pet lifestyle. For example, the owner spoils the pet too much in the diet and gives too much high-calorie food. The pets do not get enough daily exercise, and the owners do not walk the dogs or tease the cats, and let them sleep greedily.

Prevention and control measures

First of all, you must pay attention to dietary management, change wrong recipes, and feed more low-fat, low-calorie, and high-fiber foods. And feeding should be regular, use a small amount of times, not a small amount of time. There is also to increase the amount of pet exercise, take it out to play more, or play with it in the house, accelerate the pet's calorie consumption and reduce fat synthesis. If your pet is already a big fat man, beware of pet heart disease and endocrine system diseases caused by obesity.

Many pet owners are otaku or otaku who don't usually exercise by themselves. Over time, the pet and the owner will gain weight together. It is recommended that you take your pet out for exercise after get off work or on weekends, not only to prevent pet obesity, but also to benefit the pet owner's body, and it will be very happy to take your pet out to play!