The Trick About Pet Treats
By Anna Vermeulen
Tricky Pet Treats
Keeping your pet the proper healthy weight can be tricky. Learn when to treat, and the tricks about keeping your pet healthy for a long time to come.
Pet health can be tough, especially with those big brown eyes staring up at you! For a good Pet Parent, loving your pet and being concerned about their health and safety are synonymous with each other.
(We love these tough subjects because it helps us learn!)
The Trick About "Treating" Your Pet
“Beggin”- Strips Their Lifespan
Those big brown eyes may hurt your heart, but the food could also hurt theirs. Know the trick about treats, and how to help stop the begging.
To date, by both breed and veterinary standards, well over half of pet cats and dogs are considered overweight. And your pet’s weight correlates directly with your pet’s overall health and lifespan.
While there’s no doubt that over feeding your pet is easily done, the question is “how do we help to prevent it”? We’ll get to that next, we promise. 😉
The (Pound for Pound) Truth
Remember, each additional pound that your pet is overweight is equivalent to 10 additional pounds in medium-larger dogs, and up to 15 additional pounds in smaller dogs and cats.
What’s the key to a long lived fur-baby? Quality diet and a healthy, happy weight! When we consider the profound impact that weight has on your pet’s lifespan, it’s more than worth it in the long run to help keep them on track.
Age Does Matter…
Aging isn’t for the faint of heart..and, for both pets and people, with again comes more health considerations.
Just like for their Pet Parents, a pet’s metabolism changes as they age. This means both the food they eat daily, and any extra treats they may receive, hold extra impact on their health.
PetWise Reminder: Age at maturity is different for each breed.
While many small breeds are considered “adults” at 9 months, larger breeds such as Great Danes mature much later.
The average age at maturity (for cats, pit bulls, beagles, labs and the like) is 12-months.
Now We’re Beggin’ You..Try These Substitutes
It’s time to stop feeding your pet from the table. Yup. We said it.
While often done with good intent, feeding your pet from the table adds calories to your pet’s diet that can be hard to keep track of. And, beyond simple calorie counting concerns, those extra calories can dissuade your pet from eating properly at mealtime. The result? This means that your pet won’t get the proper nutrition and calorie balance they need daily.
These “tricks” are commonly used to help keep your pet the proper weight, without leaving them begging for more.
- Incorporate wet, or raw, food into your pet’s diet. It may sound like a simple switch, but wet foods contain a much higher moisture content which leads to a pet that gets fuller, and stays fuller, longer.
- Add veggies, such as green beans and carrots, to your pet’s mealtime while cutting back a bit on their regular food. These fiber rich vegetables help to fill your pet up faster and keep them slim and trim.
- PetWise Reminder: always offer veggies, fresh or canned, that are both un-seasoned & un-salted!
- Substitute your pet’s treats for their kibble, or other healthy snacks like apples or carrots. Most Pet Parents are surprised to find that when they get excited about giving their pet something (whatever it may be) their pets get just as excited about getting it!
As always, be sure to check with your veterinarian before marketing any major changes to your pet’s diet.
