Talk of the Town: How to help your pets lose weight

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - New Year’s resolutions are also for your pets. Just as humans need to lose weight, so do some of our furry children.

I prefer to call my fat cat … fluffy. She’s a ball of fun fur, but Dr. Wendy King, of Spears Creek Veterinary Clinic, says my fluffy feline needs to work on her waistline.

Pet owners should be able to easily feel the pet’s ribs and see a tucked-in waist.

What causes pet obesity? King says inactivity, excessive feeding -- like following recommendations by pet food manufacturers for the current weight rather than the ideal weight -- and excessive calories in the diet, especially with treats.

So, for a New Year’s resolution for our felines and canines, King recommends we get active with our pets!

The National Institutes of Health recommends 30 to 60 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise five to seven days a week. Both humans and pets need that concentrated activity.

King says we also need to calculate the daily calorie requirement for ideal weight (including the treats) until our pet’s weight is where it needs to be.

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