Is your dog or cat a little on the chunky side? Just kidding! Even though I’m a licensed veterinarian, I must admit my Labrador Retriever, Bridger, was once very overweight. I mean huge. Obese. And yes indeed, chunky!
It was not his fault at all, although he does love to eat. He would pounce on the food bowl and be done in a jiffy. But who was it that overfed him? Me, of course! Pet owners really enjoy watching their furry family members eat ravenously. But what about their health? Obesity is a major health problem for pets (as well as their owners)!
According to research by Animal Friends Pet Insurance, cases of arthritis in cats and dogs are up 312% since 2012. And they are predicted to rise even further by the end of 2016. Based on analysis of 20,000 pet health records, the study found obesity is the leading cause of the dramatic increase, as a consequence of overfeeding.
Pets are massively overfed due to many reasons. First, pet food manufacturers encourage overfeeding. Pet food is advertised as scrumptious – as something to make even human mouths water – with flavors like roast chicken and vegetables, bacon, … Read more
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