National Pet Obesity Awareness Day

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Do you have a fat cat or a paunchy pooch?

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (petobesityprevention.com), more than 44% of dogs and 57% of cats in this country are estimated to be overweight or obese. Unfortunately, the percentage rises precipitously with age, when pets can least afford the excess weight.

And that would be OK if it weren't for the osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, respiratory disorders, hypertension, heart disease and the many kinds of cancers attributed to weight gain in pets.

That's why Wednesday is NAtional Pet Obesity Awareness Day- a day set aside to evaluate your pet's weight and determine if it is healthy. Glacier and I both struggle a bit with our weight, but Roommate takes special precaution to not overfeed us.

How do you know if your dog or cat might be a little on the heavy side?

• You should not be able to see the animal's ribs, but you should be able to feel them easily with a thin layer of fat over them.
• When you look at the animal from the side, its tummy should tuck up at the flank area and not hang in a straight line.
• If you look over the top of a dog, you should see an hourglass shape where it's broad at the shoulders, narrow at the waist and broader at the hips.

What do you do if your furrkid has a weight problem?

1. Ask your vet if a weight management program is right for your pet.

2. Give your pet a diet high in protein to help maintain muscle, low in fat to help calorie intake, and high in fiber to give pets a full, satisfied feeling without adding unnecessary calories.

3. Practice portion control. Follow feeding guidelines on the back of pet food packages and measure servings to make sure you are not feeding too much or too little. Dividing the daily food allowance into multiple meals can help keep your pet feel satisfied all day.

4. Limit treats. If treats are part of your daily feeding routine, work with your veterinarian to establish a treat allowance (typically no more than 10 percent of total daily calories).

5. Avoid guilt. Cats and dogs are rarely to blame for failure of their weight-loss programs, so ignore those sad, pleading eyes. Weight-loss success takes long-term owner commitment and compliance, and often a change in both eating and exercise habits. Avoid overfeeding, over-treating and guilt.