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Obesity in Dogs is a Serious Problem

By admin
17
Jan 2010

Just as in humans, obesity is also a problem in dogs. This is a serious problem, a dog who are obese or overweight are more likely to experience health problems. For example, respiratory problems. In addition, obese dogs also tend to be less able to tolerate exercise or heat. Therefore, it is important to take some action to your dog stay healthy and slim.

You should first bring your dog to your veterinarian for a thorough examination, before putting your dog on any type of diet.  It is possible that your pet’s excessive weight is caused by an illness that needs to be addressed. Therefore, your veterinarian will need to first conduct some routine blood work, which includes completing a serum profile, a blood cell count and a urinalysis.

Some diseases that can cause your pet to be overweight include:
• Hypothyroidism – diagnosed by testing for hormonal levels
• Diabetes mellitus – diagnosed by testing blood and urine glucose levels, a process that may require completing a series of blood glucose measurements in order to confirm the diabetes diagnosis
• Hyperadrenocorticism – diagnosed by testing for the dog’s urine cortisol:creatnine ratio and by completing an ACTH stimulation test, which is a hormone stimulation test
Changes to body weight associated with these diseases needs to be checked regularly, while regular check ups are also necessary to monitor the medication being used to regulate the illness.

In order to change your dog’s diet and treat dog obesity, you will need to first assess its current intake of treats, foods and table scraps. You will also need to take a closer look at the amount of exercise your dog is currently getting. If your dog is taking in more calories than it is burning, it will continue to put on excess pounds. Therefore, you will need to look at ways to decrease your dog’s calorie intake. If you are feeding treats to your dog, cut those out of its diet and stick only to dog food. You might also need to purchase diet formulated dog food that will help to further decrease its calorie intake. Increasing the amount of fiber or water your dog consumes will also help it to feel full while reducing the amount of calories it consumes.
You can also help your pet lose excess pounds by encouraging it to exercise more often. Taking your pet out for walks or romps in your backyard are good ways to burn off excess calories while also providing you with opportunities to bond with your pet. Many dogs also enjoy going swimming. So, if you live on property with a pond or a creek nearby, encourage your pet to take a refreshing dip in order to burn off extra calories.  By putting your pet on a healthy diet and exercise plan, on the other hand, You can be sure to see your dog stay healthy and energetic for years to come.

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About Food Allergy in Dogs

By admin
28
Oct 2009

Allergies can appear as a sneeze or rash, just like humans, your dog can have allergies too.Allergies in dogs can cause itchiness – or even ear infections. In addition, if your dog has food allergies, this may cause him to scratch himself constantly, despite not having problems with parasites.

Dog allergies rarely get solved with medicine, so the best we can do for our four-footed friends is focus on prevention. Providing the right type of food is essential to stopping your dog’s scratching habit.

Many people like to share their food with their dogs or let them help “clean up” the kitchen after a meal. Little do they know, their dogs just may not be able to take the tasty food we love so much, and some breeds (like the greyhound) are extremely sensitive. Even common foods like cheese, beef sausage and tuna may cause allergic reactions in some dogs. So it’s best to let dogs enjoy dog food and not human food, even though they clearly adore and want what we’re eating!

To determine the exact ingredients your dog is allergic to, try an elimination diet. Although powerful, it also requires patience. In fact, the elimination diet can call for eliminating specific food for up to 12 weeks before you’ll notice the effects. And if you still haven’t found the right (and wrong) ingredients, you’ll have to repeat the process all over again.

So is there an alternative to the lengthy elimination diet? Yes — give your dog a brand or type of food he’s never eaten before. But simply changing to a new brand of dog food might not be enough to eliminate his food allergies, since many brands contain similar ingredients. Instead, study the existing ingredients your dog is eating to determine which types of protein source he hasn’t been exposed to. Then, hunt for a dog food that doesn’t contain any of the ingredients you saw listed. For example, there are many brands of dog food that contains unusual protein sources such as rabbit or venison — great for testing allergic reactions to other, more common proteins.

Perhaps the best way for you to get control of dog’s allergies is to whip up your own dog food. That way, you’ll know exactly what he’s getting and what he isn’t — something that’s extremely hard to tell from reading the back of a dog food bag. Making your own food is especially helpful in elimination diets. To start, combine a portion of rice with baby food and lamb — so long as your dog isn’t already eating lamb and possibly displaying a reaction to it.

Problem of dog food allergies can not disappear in quick time. You will need time and patience to deal with. But with the right handling will make your dog free from allergies.

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