The latest results from a veterinarian study about dog and cat obesity showed that 53 percent of the pets were overweight. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) there are 88.4 million dogs and cats that are considered obese.
Weight-related illness among fat cats and dogs include osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, breathing problems, kidney diseases, all of which can lead to a shorter life expectancy. Pets experiencing arthritis are subject to much pain and discomfort. In the case of diabetes, a loss of weight can cause a reversal of the disease.
APOP believes that the major cause of obesity in cats and dogs is the treats given between meals. In it survey of pet owners in October 2011, the results showed that 93 percent of all dog and cat owners gave treats to their pets.. Some them were fed the treats three or more times a day.
Some of the comparison made by APOP included:
· A premium pig ear fed to a 40-pound dog is the equivalent of an adult human drinking six 12-ounce Coke Classics.
· A typical dog biscuit fed to a 20 pound dog is the equivalent of an average adult human eating two Keebler EL Fudge Double Stuffed Sandwich Cookies.
Most owners of cats and dogs do not classify their pets as obese and do not take measures to reduce the weight-producing calories fed to them.
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