14/07/2020
Obesity
Your pet has an overweight problem. This may be very detrimental to his or her health and can contribute to many medical disorders:
1. 24% of obese pets have walking problems:
- arthritis
- slipped discs in the back
- torn joint ligaments (especially in the knee)
2. Respiratory (breathing) difficulties - decreased endurance with exercise.
3. Heart problems - congestion due to work overload.
4. Liver disease - a result of fat invasion of the organ.
5. Dystocia - difficulty in giving birth.
6. Diabetes - lack of the ability to regulate blood sugar.
7. Heatstroke - decreased ability to control internal body heat.
8. Skin problems - especially oily skin and poor hair coat.
9. Digestive system problems - excessive gas and constipation in particular.
10. Anal gland infections and impactions due to poor rectal muscle strength.
11. Lowered resistance to diseases - overweight pets are sick more often.
12. Increased risk with surgery and anesthetics.
Obesity REDUCES YOUR PET’S LIFE SPAN and general enjoyment of life!!!!
The primary causes of obesity are:
- Overeating
- Lack of adequate exercise - even if the pet is walked daily
- Lowered metabolism - often seen after neutering
- Emotional trauma - stress in the home for extended periods
- Brain problems - especially with the appetite control center
- Hormone imbalances - poor thyroid gland function in particular
Less than 5% of overweight problems are due to the last three factors listed above.
**THE MAJOR CAUSE OF OBESITY IS LACK OF SUFFICIENT EXERCISE AND/OR EXCESSIVE FOOD INTAKE**