Nationwide studies show that 44% of dogs and 57% of cats are overweight. This extra weight puts pets at risk for serious health problems.
Owners are so familiar with the appearance of their pets that they often fail to recognize obesity unaided. The simple reason why pets gain weight to the point that they become obese is because they are consuming more calories than they burn. Further, overweight and obese pets are expected to live shorter lives than that of a normal weight pet. Heavy pets tend to physically interact less with their families and are less energetic and playful. Because they tend to lay around more, it is easy to overlook illness since we attribute their lethargy to “normal laziness”.
Some Dangers of Obesity are:
Reduced lifespan
Joint pain
Diabetes
Cancer
Difficulty breathing
Increased surgical risks
At North Memorial Animal Hospital we take pet obesity seriously and have developed a weight loss program designed to help pets lose weight. Our Technician Lindsay will be heading up this program with the support of our veterinarians. We are offering the weight loss program at no cost to you.
Your pet will be examined by one of our doctors and if they feel your pet is a good candidate for the program your information will be given to Lindsay. She will contact you to discuss your pet’s specific diet and lifestyle. After your conversation, Lindsay will work with our veterinarians to customize a diet and exercise program specifically for your pet.
Ideally your pet will come in for an initial weight in and measurements. We know that everyone’s schedules and lives are busy, so if need be we can walk you through the measurements over the phone. Lindsay will set up a schedule for you to bring your pet into the office for weigh in’s and to discuss their progress. We are excited about this program and hope you enjoy all of it’s benefits!