Here we are, halfway between calorie-intense holiday season and chocolate-is-king Valentine’s Day, all struggling (probably without success) to meet our exercise and diet New Year’s resolution. What the heck, if we can’t control our own eating habits then should it really come as any surprise that many (by some estimates, most) dogs and cats are also something between overweight and obese? And just like with us bipeds, out-of-control weight in our animals comes with health risks including diabetes, arthritis, cancer and early death.
I definitely understand and frankly am guilty of practicing the crime of “food is love” with my own animals. And especially at a certain age, I do think one has to balance the questions of quality versus quantity when it comes to our animals (as well as our own) lives and life expectancies. But we certainly do need to understand that while treats can put a smile on a dog’s or cat’s face, that added girth is both controllable (in most cases) and risky.
It’s the same causes, of course: with the exception of disease/metabolic-related weight gain, pounds are the result of calories (too many) and exercise (not enough). A little and relatively inactive dog or an average sized cat needs, on average, just 200 to 350 calories/day to maintain a healthy weight. Compare that to up to 70 calories in just a bite or two of pizza, or the fatty oils in many human foods, and it’s clear that snacks of baby carrots (yes, both cats and dogs can learn to enjoy baby carrots) is a healthier if not happier choice.
Grab that leash (and don’t forget to hook it up to the dog’s collar) and take a long stroll. Instead of unwrapping that foil-covered chocolate, toss a tinfoil ball around for some fun with the kitty. You don’t even have to necessarily increase anyone’s heart rate for those to be good ideas for every member of the family!
Ken White is the president of the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA.
Read more from Ken White in the San Mateo Daily Journal.