Pet Obesity Reaches New Levels

Recent studies have confirmed just how dangerous pet obesity is, indicating that podgier pets may well lose two years of their life simply due to being over weight. When one considers the average lifespan for certain animals is fairly low anyway, losing two years can make a significant difference, and the quality of life during the years they are alive is also likely to be significantly affected by being overweight.

Pet obesity in and of itself is not always a major problem. With the right pet care and a focussed diet, animals can shed the pounds relatively quickly and undo much of the damage that has been done so long as the problem is addressed early. Instead, the biggest problem we face when it comes to overweight animals is a lack of education, with the majority of owners having no clue that their pet is classed as overweight.

Currently, over half of all cats and dogs in the UK are thought to be overweight, and many animal charities are suggesting that the situation is now at crisis point. The more we ignore the problem of obesity amongst animals, the more commonplace overweight cats and dogs will be and the less likely owners will therefore be to do anything about it.

In turn, owners are being urged to act now and to find out whether or not their pet is classed as obese, even if they feel there is no chance they could be. Many might be surprised at just what is classed as a healthy weight for animals and addressing any problem sooner rather than later will be vital.