Pet Obesity, A Problem Solved by the Right Diet

July 26, 2010 - PRLog -- Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom –  Just as humans have a tendency to overeat, they also seem to have a tendency to overfeed their pets.(http://www.deliciousdogdiet.com)

Many pet owners let their pets eat what they want to their heart's content. Like human's, however, pets can't get away with overeating. Pets can gain weight, and lots of it! Pet obesity is something that is not uncommon in the United States. So much so that it is becoming a serious problem that many pets deal with.

Pet obesity jeopardizes their quality of life. They're not able to move around as much or as freely, and may often appear sluggish. There are many other risks. It heightens an animal's risk for heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, and arthritis. All of which can be avoided by feeding animals the right type of food in the right amounts, and making sure they get enough exercise.

“Many pet owners remark that their pets are sounding more and more like humans, but the truth is, humans forget that we too are animals. We're more like them.” says Maggie Rhines, author of Going Rawr! Dog Lovers Compendium, an online book which teaches dog owners the ins and outs of the raw food diet. “The problem is that we feed them the same way we feed ourselves, unhealthily. It's really time to change the way we see and consume food, both for our sakes and for our pets.”

Rhines advocates the raw food diet because she believes it is the most appropriate diet for dogs, and is the type of diet that will not lead to problems like obesity, or any of the other health problems mentioned earlier. This type of diet focuses on feeding pets protein, vegetables and fruit in measured amounts.

Not all unhealthily fed pets face obesity, however. Some pets have no problems with their weight. No matter what they eat, they stay skinny. While it seems they lucked out in the gene pool, owners are still advised to have their pets check for any weight or metabolic disorders. Usually if a pet has normal weight, there are no problems, but these skinny-by-nature pets are rare.

Pet owners with obese pets are advised to see a veterinarian so that a proper diet and exercise program can be prescribed. There is hope for all obese pets, and often, the problem can be reversed. For pets who are not obese, Rhines encourages that the right diet be followed right away in order to prevent the problem from ever occuring.