Half of America’s Pets are Fat

[MasterBlaster]

Buffy, Hershey and Fridge are pets battling excess weight and obesity. As more Americans confront their own weight issues, furry housemates increasingly struggle alongside them. New data due out this week indicate the problem is reaching epidemic proportions, with more than half of U.S. dogs and cats now overweight or obese. Of pets considered to be "obese"—defined as 30% above normal weight—one-fifth of dogs and cats fit the bill, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, which conducted the survey with Mars Inc.'s Banfield Pet Hospital, the nation's largest general veterinary practice.

When Man's Best Friend Is Obese - WSJ.com

 

[frank]

it depends on what your pets are being used for. I had beagles for rabbit hunting and they were like athletes, if they were fat and lazy they could not run rabbits, you had to work them hard and often to keep them in shape. the more work you put into them the better the results. otoh, if your dogs are just housepets, you have to watch them because they will beg at the table or eat just out of boredom. either way it is your responsibility if you want your pet to live a long and healthy life, you have to keep him fit. excercise is the biggest problem, dogs like people will get fat if they sit on the couch all day, take your dog for a long walk everyday it will be good for the both of you.

 

[MasterBlaster]

yeah, I have found that if your dog is fit then the meat is tough, and doesn't taste that good.

 

[frank]

leno said last night that they found dog bone fragments in the arizona desert. they also found the remains of a menu that highlighted kung-pow chicken.

 

[HFWR]

Same phenom as their human counterparts: crappy diet (since when do dogs and cats eat grain products?) and not enough exercise...

 

[frank]

look at any dry dog food and the main ingredient will probably some corn or soybean product. if it say chicken by-products then it is probably feathers.

 

[haha]

Looked at from different POV, the idea that 50% of Americans' pets might be fat is a gigantic social commentary, and not a very attractive one.

Ha

 

[Dawg52]

Exercise is the key. One of the main reason I got a dog was to motivate me to get out and walk. Hiked over 5 miles today, up and down hills. Now if I could just figure out a nice way to tell my 80 year old neighbor not to feed my dog all the treats she slips him when he is in the backyard.

 

[FreqFlyer]

now you've hurt her feelings

 

[travelover]

Exercise is the key. One of the main reason I got a dog was to motivate me to get out and walk. .......

Same here. The vet said yesterday that my dog looks like a bodybuilder, due to all the muscle from our long daily walks.

 

[mh]

i've noticed that golden retrievers and labs at the dog park are usually overwieght
anybody know why that is? is it just because people tend to overfeed them ?

 

[Dawg52]

i've noticed that golden retrievers and labs at the dog park are usually overwieght
anybody know why that is? is it just because people tend to overfeed them ?

Yep. One problem is most dog foods give a recommended amount to feed on the bag which us usually too much for the average dog. Most dogs are not exercised enough to work off the calories dog food companies recommend. Of course they are in the business to sell dog food.

 

[frank]

dawg52 is exactly right. if your dog lays around most of the time and only excercises an hour a day. you should adjust his feed accordingly. I have had dogs that seem to exist on nothing and never gain or loose and then I had one dog that had a thyroid problem, and if you put food in front of him he would eat until he exploded. you have to control their intake according to each individual pet.