Obesity in pets is such a simple yet complicated problem. We love our pets. Really love them. And we love to show them how much we love them by feeding them plenty of scrumptious food and giving them lots of delectable treats. I mean, really, how do they know if they’ve been a good boy/girl without us showing them with tasty little snacks? It’s only a little treat, right? And they’ve been so good. What’s the harm? Well, it turns out, there can be a LOT of harm in overfeeding/overtreating our pets. Why? Because it’s not the size of the treat that matters. It’s the calorie count and *whew* are there some whopper calorie counts out there!

For example, the calories in 1 ounce of cheddar cheese (which really does look pretty small) equal 3 1/2 hamburgers for a 10 pound cat and 2 1/2 hamburgers for a 20 pound dog. Yikes! So basically the calorie count in that “little” treat can equal a VERY large meal (or two!) for them. Who knew? Even seemingly “healthy” snacks like feeding a dog a tablespoon of peanut butter can equal the caloric intake of over 2 hamburgers for a 20 pound dog. Double yikes!

But is being overweight (not to mention obese) really that big of a deal for our pets? Actually, yes. There are multiple issues that arise with being overweight/obese including heart failure, arthritis, diabetes, difficulty breathing, and overheating (Mississippi is seriously one of the hottest states, y’all). Any of these conditions can shorten our pets’ lifespans by years. So — as we mentioned before — we love our pets. But giving them high calorie food/treats is not necessarily the best way to show them how much we love them. Sometimes the most loving thing we can do for them is tell them, “No”. Except when it comes to petting those sweet little creatures. You know they deserve ALL the petting their little hearts desire. 😉

Need help determining the ideal weight for your pet? Check out this chart or schedule a weight check by calling us at 601-924-4549.