How to Effectively Manage Your Pet’s Weight

December 24, 2023
How to Effectively Manage Your Pet’s Weight

Keeping your pet’s weight under control is crucial to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing in all stages of life. Read on to learn more!

Overweight pug lying on a tile floor, looking forlorn. Brown fur, wrinkles, sad eyes.

Keeping your pet at an optimal weight is important to ensure their physical and mental wellbeing remains healthy as they age. Obesity can negatively impact a pet’s wellbeing and life expectancy. It’s important to know about the right pet medical services as overweight pets are at risk of developing serious health conditions including osteoarthritis, heart disease, urinary stones and metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

Common Causes of Weight Gain in Pets

Both dogs and cats have an ideal weight dependent on their breed, size and lifestyle. It’s important to research the right animal healthcare for your pet as excess weight gain can result from health conditions, inactivity, overfeeding and can also be associated with pets entering their senior years.

Limiting Food and Treats

  1. Choosing the right pet food is vital in ensuring that your pet has a balanced diet that matches their exercise levels, breed, age and lifestyle. It’s also important to not feed your pet too many treats or tidbits. Research has shown that that the extra calories an average dog is being fed in tidbits adds up to a staggering 54,000 calories each year. If an average medium-sized dog was to overeat at this rate it would be the equivalent of a human eating 340 cheese burgers every year, in addition to their regular meals.

Seeking Veterinary Advice

Our veterinarians are able to assess your pet’s weight and diet, and can provide expert advice on weight management for your pet. If your dog or cat is overweight, effective treatments can involve implementing a weight control diet, introducing a regular program of exercise and scheduling regular health checks with our veterinary team. Sydney Animal Hospitals stock a variety of pet foods including Hill’s weight loss, joint care, veterinary medical services and mobility support diets which are calorie controlled to sustain a healthy weight.

For more information about Sydney Animal Hospital’s Preventative Health Care Plans, please call our team or visit our website.

 

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CONTACT US

Newtown (02) 9519 4111
69-73 Erskineville Road Erskineville

Inner West (02) 9516 1466
1A Northumberland Ave Stanmore

Norwest (02) 8883 0411
Unit 8, 1-3 Celebration Dr Bella Vista

Kellyville (02) 8883 0533
106 Windsor Rd Kellyville

Newport (02) 9997 4609
1 Palm Rd Newport

Avalon (02) 9918 0833
710 Barrenjoey Rd Avalon Beach

 

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As seen in the August 2023 Issue of Pittwater Life Magazine click here to read more

 

 

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YOU MAY ALSO LIKE… LASER THERAPY FOR PETS?

Laser therapy is a noninvasive treatment designed to reduce pain and inflammation, and to speed healing. This treatment
is quickly becoming standard of care in both human and veterinary medicine. Our staff members administer laser therapy
via a handpiece that emits this therapeutic infrared light in a fast, drug-free, and soothing treatment.

READ MORE

 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE…PET AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY VETERINARY HOSPITALS

If you have a pet emergency after hours and your local Sydney Animal Hospital is closed, please see a list of other ‘After Hours Emergency Veterinary Hospitals’ in Sydney.

READ MORE

 

 

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