Just like their human counterparts, pets must enjoy a healthy lifestyle and maintain their weight. Veterinarians suggest the “rib test” to determine if your pet is overweight—if you cannot feel the cat or dog’s ribs, the animal is too heavy. Help your beloved four-legged friend live a long and active life with the following veterinarian-approved weight management tips.

Top 3 Pet Weight Management Tips

1. Provide the Best Food for Your Pet’s Age, Size, & Breed

Speak to your veterinarian about the best food for your pet’s age, size, and breed. What works for a small bulldog, for example, would not apply to a sizable Husky. Stockier dogs with relatively small statures and lower energy levels will require different nutrition than larger breeds with higher energy. You also must keep your pet’s age in mind, since animals at different stages of their lives have different nutritional requirements. 

2. Exercise Your Animal

Ensure your animal does not consume more calories than they burn with daily exercise. Go for several walks with your dog lasting at least 15 minutes each day, especially if your canine does not have a yard to run around in. Exercising cats is a bit more challenging; however, most kittens and young cats run and play enough to maintain their weight. You can also encourage your cat to play—and therefore burn calories—by throwing small toys or enticing them with catnip. 

3. Don’t Feed Your Pet Lots of Treats or People Food

Refrain from giving your pet too many treats, as they are rather high in calories and not meant for copious consumption. You should also avoid feeding your pet table scraps or other food meant for people. Cats and dogs have completely different constitutions than humans, and their bodies do not process people food as efficiently, which often results in weight gain. Additionally, foods such as cheese and bread can cause gastrointestinal problems, while others such as garlic are toxic.
 

Work with the veterinarians at Greatwood Veterinary Hospital to keep your pet’s weight in check. The Richmond, TX-based veterinarians routinely offer healthy lifestyle tips in addition to affordable pet care and boarding services. Call (281) 342-7770 to schedule an appointment today or visit the website to learn more about what this pet clinic has to offer. Add helpful tips to your Twitter feed by following the animal hospital.