Nutrition and Excercise.

1. Devons thoughts on healthy pet habits

Proper nutrition and exercise is as important for pets as it is for people. Having a balanced diet and work out regimen will keep your pet healthy and happy for years to come.

Let’s start with nutrition and food. There are hundreds of different foods to choose from when feeding your pet. Who knows where to begin? Balanced ingredients are important. When choosing a food, you want to start by looking at the ingredients listed on the side of the package. The top five or so ingredients are the main ingredients in the food. So, the first ingredient is going to be the main ingredient and so on. You want the first ingredient to be a whole ingredient like chicken. The best foods have all whole ingredients such as chicken, potato, rice, carrots etc. Of course, the more whole ingredients, the more expensive the food is. For the most part, you will have to go to private specialty pet stores to purchase the best foods like Innova, Natures Recipe, and California Natural. Petsmart and Petco don’t typically carry these brands. However, you can still find a decent quality food at the corporate stores to help out your budget. You will just have to do your research to find what is best for your pet.

Once you have chosen the proper food for your pet, exercise is the next critical step to keeping your pet healthy. We are fortunate to live in a city where our dogs are welcome almost everywhere we go. There are hundreds of parks, beaches and trails to utilize around San Diego. Getting your dog out for a walk or run a couple times a week will help your pet stay fit, keep socialized and control his energy level at home. Plus, it is a great way for you to meet people. If there is one thing I have learned, it is that pet owners around San Diego are very friendly and always slow down to say hello and let the dogs greet each other. Unfortunately, there are still obese pets in the world. Sometimes it is laziness on the owner’s part, or overfeeding that leads to obesity. There are also certain breeds that are prone to being overweight. Labs have an insatiable appetite, and owners often make the mistake of overfeeding because they think they are hungry. Daschunds have a tendency to be overweight, which can cause serious back problems. It is even important for cats to have a balanced diet and exercise. Obese cats can be prone to diabetes and other health issues when overweight.

Specialist Renee Wallis talks about Canine Obesity and Pet Health.

Being overweight can be very detrimental to the pet’s health. To tell you a little more about it, I have asked Renee Wallis, a certified Canine Physical Rehabilitation Specialist to chat a little more about it. Renee works at Animal Medical Center in El Cajon. If you are interested in consulting her or utilizing her services, please call 619-444-4246 or check out amcrehab.com.

What Renee has to say about Pet Obesity.

In the United States today, 40 percent of our pets are obese. Obesity today is now thought of as a disease by veterinarians. Pets suffering from obesity are more likely to develop many other diseases associated from being overweight. Many common orthopedic conditions you may have already experienced with your own pet are osteoarthritis, ACL injuries, diabetes and heart disease. Respiratory problems and heat intolerance are also conditions related to obesity.

Just as in people, obesity can creep up on your pet over several years. Obesity develops when your pet consumes more calories (energy) than it expends through activity and exercise. Obesity and arthritis can become a cyclical problem. If your pet is overweight, they can develop arthritis from the extra weight, which increases the impact on the joints. If your pet is in pain due to the arthritis, Fido will not want to exercise, play or go on walks. You in return feel sorry for Fido because he is in pain, so you give him more treats. The result, Fido gains more weight. Weight loss to an ideal body weight can lengthen your pet’s life span up to two years.

So, you have noticed your pet laying around the house more, not excited to go on walks, or even worse, he has begun to limp? You should begin with a visit to your veterinarian to be sure the limping is not an injury. Ask your vet what Fido should weigh, or better yet, ask to see the ‘body condition score’. Body condition score is a scoring system developed by Purina that gives you pictures and detailed descriptions of what your pet should look like when he is at an ideal body weight. Discuss diet recommendations, amount of food and healthy treats. Ask your veterinarian if your pet is healthy enough to begin an exercise program. If your pet has been stiff or limping due to arthritis and obesity, ask about pain medications or an anti-inflammatory to alleviate the pain while getting started on an exercise routine.

So, your vet agrees that Fido needs to shed some pounds. He recommends a diet food and total amount of food for the day. Here are some of my diet pointers. First, make sure you feed Fido the amount your vet gave you by measuring the amount with a calibrated measuring cup. I recommend that you feed twice a day so your pet does not have to burn off all of the food at one time. If your dog must have treats or you have multiple people in the household that gives your pet treats, I recommend that you get a cookie jar with Fido’s name on it. Take a portion of the allotted amount of kibble for the day and place them in the cookie jar. Anyone in the household is welcome to give Fido treats as long as it comes from the cookie jar. Once the jar is empty, no more treats for the day!

Now to Fido’s exercise regimen. Remember, Fido might be in pain, and is definitely out of shape, so take it slow. If your pet is in too much pain or is so obese that he cannot go on walks, you may want to contact a canine physical rehabilitation specialist. There are three located in San Diego that offer hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy is one of the best forms of exercise for overweight dogs. There are two common forms of hydrotherapy in rehab facilities: underwater treadmill walking and swim therapy. Exercising in warm water will benefit arthritic joints and sore muscles. It allows enough buoyancy and resistance to strengthen the muscles without harming the joints. Hydrotherapy will also improve cardiovascular health. Swimming is a non-weight bearing exercise, while underwater treadmill walking minimizes the load on the joints. Both forms of exercise will decrease pain, strengthen the muscles, and most of all, burn calories. Once your pet is feeling better, you may then begin an at home exercise program.

Your at home exercise program should consist of low impact exercises. Leash walks should be shortened to 10-15 minutes a few times per day rather than one very long walk for the day. Have play time that is comfortable for your pet. This may include playing with a buster ball (this is a ball that you can insert low fat treats or dog food and your pet will roll the ball around the house to eat the treats), chasing a ball, playing hide and seek, obedience training, etc. Some exercises to avoid until your pet is in good shape include running at the beach, difficult hikes, hard running, jumping, etc.

Some helpful tips at home if you have an obese, painful dog are to accommodate the home environment for your pet while getting back on his feet. Minimize slippery floors by placing rugs on the floor with rubber backing. Avoid stairs or place a ramp over the stairs. Utilize a pet ramp for access in and out of the car if you own a truck or SUV.

Most importantly, make the new routine fun for you and your pet and use this time as some special bonding.

Need help getting your pet out for some exercise?

I will be the first to admit that I am not the best at exercising my pets. After working long hours, I just want to sit and relax and cuddle with them. There are still ways to exercise your pet even if you are an individual who is extremely busy. You can try utilizing doggy day care. There, your pet will be socialized and most likely very worn out by the end of the day. You can also hire a dog walker. Then, your pet can get out and see the sites while you are at work. If you are in the San Diego area and looking for someone you can trust to take care of your pets, please call Jennifer Sabo, Certified Animal Trainer/Dog Walker at 619-840-5266 or email: info@doggydtails.com

Learn why Jenn Sabo thinks dog walking is so important.

When you walk through the door after a long work day, is your dog running circles around you? Does he seem a bit frantic? Is he barking up a storm? How about jumping all over you? Have you ever found him cowering in a corner only to find that he chewed something he shouldn’t have touched? Or, maybe you find him just lounging on his bed, not bothering to get up and greet you.

If you’ve experienced any of these traits, it’s time to get your dog walking. Pups, young dogs and senior dogs absolutely need, and thrive upon, a daily walk.

So, why is walking your dog so important?

• For starters, your dog needs to release mental and physical energy. Dogs that don’t have the opportunity to expel energy will eventually resort to destructive behavior, and the best exercise for him is walking, especially if you’re gone for eight hours or more.

• If your best friend is walked daily, he will maintain his shapely figure, which means lower vet bills for you, and walking will add years to his life. After all, no one wants their dog to be overweight or unhealthy.

• A walking break during your dog’s lonely day indoors reduces and alleviates separation anxiety. A good walk really does instill good behavior. It’s true that your dog misses you when you’re gone all day, and few dogs have the benefit of a safe and fenced yard for exercise.

• Don’t make the mistake of thinking your dog is misbehaving to get even for being left alone. Dogs are not capable of this sort of thinking. The true root of the problem is the dog's boredom resulting from lack of a routine walk.

• Yes, it’s true…a fast paced walk promotes your dog’s release of brain biochemicals called endorphins (just like humans), which help to give your pet a greater sense of well being.

• Lastly, your dog thrives on routine and stability. When your dog doesn’t have a set routine he doesn’t know what to expect next, and that can make him quite nervous. Your dog will feel much less stress if he has a stimulating walking routine on a daily basis.

If you’d like your best friend to greet you with a smile when you come through the door after a long day, now is the time to get him into a daily routine of walking. I guarantee that it will make him very happy, and you’ll soon notice positive behavioral changes, which will make you very happy. After all, isn’t it just a small price to pay for all the unconditional love and companionship he gives you everyday?

Is your pet overweight? Find your pet’s Body Condition Score