Diet and Your Overweight Dog

Some of us wonder if we should put their dog on a diet because it is overweight. We should, but only if our veterinarian recommends it. The same care, consideration, and advice should be taken when your dog needs to be placed on a special diet program, as you would get from your family doctor if you were put on a diet. You cannot diet your dog properly without expert advice, and in this case, as with most problems with animals, your dog’s best friend is his vet.

Your veterinarian will have knowledge of special diets for dogs with varying problems. There is one for the overweight dog as well as the dog with heart trouble or kidney disease. Manufacturers also supply him with prescription dietary foods for puppies, pregnant dogs, the allergic dog, and dogs with intestinal upsets.

There are dry, as well as canned, diet foods. The canned foods come in various sizes to meet the needs of the small and the large dog. Your dog’s vet may recommend mixing several foods together. Special diets are often fortified with mineral and vitamin supplements. So if your veterinarian suggests that you put your dog on a dietary program, you know that he will be getting the best nutrition possible.

The Overweight Dog

Let’s examine the most common reason why a diet is typically recommended by the veterinarian: the overweight dog. There are no “crash diets” for the obese dog. If your dog is overweight, you are the one who is responsible for it. The overweight dog is very much like a fat person. He is short of breath and is often considered lazy. Exercising is just too much for him. All the energy he can muster is used carrying that extra weight.

We need to remember that it is the fat on the inside of the animal that causes the most trouble. When consulting a veterinarian about this issue, he explained to me what excess fat can do to the body. There may be fatty tissue surrounding the heart, the lungs, or the digestive tract which could cause these organs to not function properly.

Your overweight dog needs low-calorie food for weight reduction. Your veterinarian will weigh your pet and determine how much he needs to lose. He will then prescribe the amount and type of food he needs. Your full cooperation is needed if the diet program is to be a success. Do not feed him snacks in between his allotted meals, or any tidbits from the table for that matter.

Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet: Healthier Dog Food the ABC Way

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