Pets need to watch weight during the holidays, too
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With our favorite holiday for gorging coming this week, now is a good time to discuss the 40 percent of dogs that are overweight.
To deal with this epidemic of chow hounds, owners must first recognize the physical characteristics to properly identify their pet as weight challenged.
Nutrition expert Tony Buffington in the book “Fitness Unleashed” suggests that your pet’s weight in pounds is helpful but a visual and physical exam should be performed to provide additional information regarding your pet’s ideal condition.
Here are some ways to tell if your pet is overweight:
1. A touch of ribs: you shouldn’t be able to see your dog’s ribs, but you should be able to feel them easily with your fingers. If you have to poke and push through the blubber to find the ribs, he probably weighs too much.
2. A look at the side: your dog’s abdomen should appear tucked up behind the ribs (like a wasp), not hanging down below or bulging alongside.
3. The view from the top: when you look down on your dog’s back from above, there should be an indentation between the ribs and the hips-it should curve in, not out.
Remember to add daily exercise to your pet’s weight loss program for faster, better results and you’ll both enjoy it!
Questions? Send them to Dr. Sandeman, Home & Garden, Quad-City Times, 500 E. 3rd St., Davenport, IA 52801. Or, email to papertrained@mchsi.com. Dr. Sandeman cannot answer letters or email personally, but questions of general interest will be answered in this column.
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