Help Your Pet Lose Weight

It's the New Year, and many of you have likely embarked on new weight loss goals. Did you know your pet can suffer from obesity, too? Help your pet start off the New Year in a healthier way with these tips.

1. Visit your veterinarian.
The most important step is to acknowledge your pet may have a weight problem. The safest way to do this is make a visit to your veterinarian. He can weigh your pet accurately and tell you the ideal weight based on breed, age and activity level. Your veterinarian can also ensure there are no underlying medical conditions causing your pet's obesity.

2. Less food, more exercise!
Just like humans, the factors for weight loss include reducing caloric intake and increasing the number of calories burned through activity, or less food and more exercise!

To reduce caloric intake, you should follow your veterinarian's guidance on a calorie-reducing pet food. These foods will reduce calories for your pet, but still ensure the proper combination of nutrition.

As for exercise, follow these guidelines: Dogs should get at least two brisk 15-minute walks daily. Cats should have two 15-minute playtimes daily.

3. Feed smaller meals more frequently.
Also similar to humans, it is better to feed your pet smaller rations more often throughout the day, rather than one or two large meals. Following the guidelines of your veterinarian, divide your pet's daily ration into three or four smaller meals fed throughout the day.

4. Avoid snacks or treats of any kind!
Even treats for dogs, like Milkbones, should be discontinued entirely for a pet on a diet. No pet should be fed human table scraps, but particularly if your animal is on a diet. Snacks and table scraps are the leading cause of pet obesity!

Once you have achieved your pet's weight loss goal, be sure to follow up with your veterinarian. He can help you ensure your pet doesn't unhealthily continue to lose weight or gain weight back. Continue to avoid in-between-meals snacks, maintain a daily exercise regimen and regularly track your pet's weight.