Posted on 01/06/2006 9:58:52 AM PST by floridaobserver
LONDON (Reuters) - Just like their owners, a growing number of British pets are becoming obese and face chronic illnesses such as heart complaint, diabetes and arthritis, according to research Friday.
A survey of British vets and owners showed that one in three pets, or 33 percent, were considered overweight and 38 percent of pet owners said their animals put on weight over Christmas.
Despite this, few owners plan to put their pets on a diet.
"Pets, like their owners, tend to expand a little over the Christmas period," said Frances Wright at Halifax Pet Insurance, who conducted the survey.
The survey said signs of obesity included a sagging stomach, bulging sides and a reluctance to take exercise.
About 30,000 human deaths a year in Britain are attributable to obesity, health experts say.
She is indeed rather annoyed in the second photo -- whenever Mommy gets the camera out there are always multiple flashbulbs going off in her face, especially if she's doing something cute. The poor baby can't get a moments peace with me around!
Gidget's gotten plump in the last few years... she no longer eats alot, it's just her age and metabolism, like me I think :~D
wow are you sure thats not a pic of three cats put together lol
I like to think I'm not old enough to claim that excuse! Then again... :-p
My neighbor has acres and acres of bottom land on which he and his wife have worked, taking already natural beauty and making of it a nature preserve. So I've great walking trails unless it's rained in the past few days. But out of respect for his dogs' territory, I don't take mine out there with me.
It's because cats were meant to be outside climbing trees...not stay inside the house their whole life. Could you? I'd go nuts. Many cats get bored and depresses staying in the house 24-7---some eat to help them get through life.
Nice job! I'll bet she feels so much better.....
Especially if the cat has been neutered, what else does it live for except food? I don't have the heart to just give it dry cat food, I give her the expensive stuff . .upwards of 50 cents for a small can.
My cat goes outside at night but prefers to be a couch potato for most of the day. Any suggestions that she get a job are ignored.
That's how I feel....what have they to live for? Hoping ot see a bird at the window...hoping someone is going to take the time to pet them or play? Mainly just FOOD. Your cat is lucky to be able to go out....too many hazards around most homes...it's just not allowed anymore...especially since even people in FR say they will 'get rid of' any cat that steps foot on their property. Just too many dangerous people and things out there nowadays.
Our dog used to be such a picky eater. She was quite overweight, despite regular exercise (we walk her at least once a day, often twice, and tug games) and hardly eating anything. She used to get a scant cup of dry food and a couple of teaspoons of canned food mixed in, and one hard-boiled egg a day, and still didn't lose weight. Then she was diagnosed with diabetes, switched to W/D food. She gets not less than six cups a day and a whole can, as well as two boiled eggs, and she's lost close to 30 pounds (108 down to 79)! The vet said the food is like eating sawdust, but she just loves her new food, so we're truly grateful. It's hard to keep weight on her now, and you don't dare miss a meal or she lets you know it.
Our dog used to be such a picky eater. She was quite overweight, despite regular exercise (we walk her at least once a day, often twice, and tug games) and hardly eating anything. She used to get a scant cup of dry food and a couple of teaspoons of canned food mixed in, and one hard-boiled egg a day, and still didn't lose weight. Then she was diagnosed with diabetes, switched to W/D food. She gets not less than six cups a day and a whole can, as well as two boiled eggs, and she's lost close to 30 pounds (108 down to 79)! The vet said the food is like eating sawdust, but she just loves her new food, so we're truly grateful. It's hard to keep weight on her now, and you don't dare miss a meal or she lets you know it.
Good Lord! The poo! The poo!! Aieeeee!
My dog Harm, a four year old Alaskan Malamute/Siberian Husky/Chocolate Lab cross, eats like a hog. However, he runs like a freight train. If I don't get out of the way, he mows me down. I can't fill that dog up. When he weighed 72 pounds, the vet said he was as big as he was going to get unless I let him get fat. Now he is nearly 90 pounds or maybe more. He is also taller. The breeder told me all the pups from the father and mother usually weighed 100-115 when fully grown.
I can't limit Harm's food intake because he will steal everyone else's food and become extremely hard to handle. However, he and I are going to start walking 3 miles a day next week. He does not know that yet, though. ;)
My last dog had constant food and regulated himself. Never got fat.
My current dog would eat till she burst under the same regimen.
Ultimately a fat dog is the owner's fault with rare exceptions.
Maybe Tubby is eating Thin Cats food?
It's possible, but what I think is happening is that Thelonius (the fat one) is making more snacks to the communal food bowl than the other two (Mingus and Rocket J.).
lol. So what you are saying is that Thelonius is keeping Mingus and Rocket J. on a diet.
My recent adoptee was malnourished and picky, so for the first month or two I'd fix him a special bowl with a little cheese and beef broth which he couldn't resist, but nowadays, I'll fill their bowl in the a.m. before I leave, but it seems like they usually wait until I come homr for lunch or in the evening before they start to really dig in. Fortunately, the three of us are blessed with fairly high metabolisms which (knock on wood) seems to have kept all of our weight down.
Here's a pick of Thelonious with Ming. Loni is the mostly black one. Just look at the attitude! And don't be fooled, she's a big'un, whilst Ming is skin and bone!
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