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Studies indicate that a staggering 40 percent of domesticated canines in the United States are considered overweight, a term applied when a dog is anywhere from 5 to 20 percent over the ideal body weight for its size and breed.

Excessive weight and obesity in dogs pose significant health threats, as well as affect their quality of life on a day-to-day basis. When a pet is overweight, they have to exert more energy just to move around.

Overweight pets become sluggish, and often tend not to get the amount of exercise necessary for them to stay healthy. It also detracts from their ability to play and enjoy the outdoors, which in most cases, dogs practically live for!

But beyond simply slowing your pet down, excessive weight can drastically increase their chances for developing more serious diseases. Arthritis is very common in obese dogs, as the added weight and pressure on their joints causes them to wear out more quickly. Dogs may even lose a range of motion, causing joints not to function properly, which can also lead to arthritis.

In addition to arthritis, excessive weight in dogs has also been linked to heart and liver disease, respiratory conditions and even cancer. Once pet owners are aware of the devastating potential of obesity, it isn’t surprising that they are willing to try anything, including prescription medications, to fix the problem.

However, this raises an important question - Are prescription drugs really the best option for treating your overweight dog? Many of the drugs prescribed to animals, such as steroids and corticosteroids for example, can result in very serious side effects despite their short-term benefits.

You can avoid the potentially harmful side effects by treating your dog’s weight problems naturally. With so many natural alternatives available, there really isn’t a need to use prescription medications to treat a problem that can be helped with simply a little diet, increased exercise and herbal remedies!

In the majority of cases the reason pets become overweight is because owners do not spend enough time ensuring that they are eating and exercising correctly. The thing about dogs and cats, is that they don't make a conscious choice to overeat --people choose this for them; we control the food. Therefore, it's easier for them to stop if we give them something else to enjoy.

By carefully monitoring the amount and quality of food your dogs are fed, and making sure they have ample time outside to exercise, you can prevent weight and actually encourage weight loss.

Natural remedies can also be a wonderful supplement to your dog’s diet and exercise regime, and can help your pet lose those extra pounds. There are many herbal products that can help naturally curb your pet’s appetite so you can avoid chemical-based prescription drugs.

Just like humans, pets can struggle with various health conditions that can make losing weight especially difficult. Natural remedies can also help treat conditions like thyroid problems and fatigue so they can enjoy a better quality of life! There are even herbal products that can boost energy levels in sluggish pets so they have more desire to exercise!

Responses to "Help Your Pet Live a Lighter, Healthier Life"

  1. FulviaChristine says:

    What very sensible advice , gorgeous photo too !

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