Pet Obesity Warnings

Tierrasanta Veterinary Hospital in San Diego, California, offers a wide variety of services to care for and keep your pet healthy. Our veterinarian, Dr. Schexneider, firmly believes that regular exercise is essential for the optimal health of your pet and also the best way to prevent obesity.

Of course, humans know why diet and exercise are important, but we'll let you in on a little secret — it's great for your pet as well. In fact, sustained and vigorous uses of muscles stimulate your pet's tissues and increase circulation. Once tissue becomes oxygenated in this manner, it helps clean the cells of toxins. Your pet's digestive glands also secrete fluids better and the bowels move more easily.

Overall, a home environment where a pet gets daily exercise should be a sustained lifestyle to keep them free and clear of major health issues.

Pet Obesity and its Harmful Effects

In 2018, an estimated 60 percent of cats and 56 percent of dogs in the United States were considered overweight or obese, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.

One major problem is the lack of a universally-accepted definition of obesity in pets, which leads to a lack of awareness about the disease. It also makes it difficult for veterinarians, including our doctors at Tierrasanta, to provide clear messages about obesity due to the normalization of excess weight.

When your pet becomes obese, it can suffer from respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, and other chronic health issues.

Proper Nutrition Can Prevent Pet Obesity

If your pet is overweight, we offer counseling on pet nutrition to get them back on track. That's because the food you give your pet has a direct impact on its quality of life.

Our steps to help keep your pet's weight in check include:

• recommending foods that are ideal for your pet
• Monitoring the amount of food fed
• Encouraging pet owners to limit treats

For more on pet obesity, contact Tierrasanta Veterinary Hospital — your animal hospital in San Diego — at 858-224-9459. Let us help to establish a proper diet and exercise plan for your pet.