What shocks us at Apex is not how often we hear this question, but rather how often we do NOT hear it from our Clients. It is disturbing how many pets we see that are tipping the scales at over 20% greater than their ideal body weight – often even more! Check out the images in this blog. Your pet should have a nice waistline and abdominal tuck, not be a uniform size from their chest all the way back.
Please, please, please quit feeding your pets so many unnecessary calories. It’s making them too heavy, straining their internal organs, wreaking havoc on their bones/joints, and I know it is extremely insensitive for me to say it, but you are slowly killing your furry baby that you love so dearly. Not to mention, overfeeding is coupled with a strain on your wallet as well. Who wouldn’t like it if the overpriced bag of food would last a little longer every time? Feed a little less and it will!
I’m not going to debate which food is best, because no matter what any expert, friend, breeder, neighbor, trainer, doctor (yes I said it), or anyone else says, this magic mix does not exist! No, it does not! It does not matter how much it costs, how long it has been around, or how well it worked for another pet, this is YOUR baby that needs the right food for THEM. For some, the OTC kibble from the grocery store is fine, but for others with medical needs there are very specific dietary requirements that need to be met. So here I am begging again, PLEASE talk to your vet about what is going to work well for your furry child.
Here’s another hot tip for you, so pay attention. Who do you think prints those helpful charts on the side of the bags of food that tells you how much you should be feeding? That’s right! It’s the same people that make the food and want you to buy more of it! It is in their best interest for you to continue the pattern of overfeeding, because it means you will have to buy more food sooner. Here’s the simple solution that will help your wallet and your pet’s waistline – take whatever volume they recommend and cut it by 10-20% depending on whether you pet needs to maintain their weight (use the 10% cut) or needs to be losing weight (go with the 20%).
But what about the sad eyes that seem to be begging for more, or the ravenous eater that eats like every meal is the last or maybe the food is going to magically run away if they don’t scarf it down in less than 10 microseconds? This is your opportunity to be a good pet guardian and set some limits. “But he looks hungry” you say. Let me ask you this. When does he NOT look hungry? If you give him just a little bit more, does he stop begging and pulling at the heartstrings? Of course not! Stick with a responsible dietary program and help keep your pets healthy longer. None of them are ever with us long enough, but shouldn’t we do everything we can to make sure we maximize this priceless time we get to spend with them?
If you want to add more precious years to your cat or dog’s life, please talk to us at Apex about your pet’s weight. There will be no shaming or public ridicule, because you have taken the hardest first step to making things right. You recognize the need for a weight loss program for your pet, and have decided to do something about it. Good job!!!
