Common Health Issues: Obesity
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Dogs and cats, in general, are not over-eaters. However if their diet is lacking in nutrition, or the essential meats they need, they will never feel "satisfied". This can lead to chronic over-eating and, eventually obesity and possibly even diabetes. These diets are often made up of carbohydrates and sugar and poor protein, which is akin to feeding your pet a rich diet of pasta and cornbread. While it may be tasty, these foods are not only insufficient but also dangerous if fed long term.
Conventional weight-loss pet foods are low calorie, low fat, sometimes even low protein foods. This is completely backwards and ineffectual and may cause your pet to be even *more* hungry. A quality, meat-based pet food with GOOD quality protein, appropriate calorie content from healthful ingredients and a healthy fat source is perfect for weight loss. It can also be beneficial to cut out most carbohydrates from the diet by feeding a grain-free, canned or raw diet.
Ingredients to look for: Very high, quality meat content such a chicken meal, beef meal (etc), vegetables.
Ingredients to avoid: Grains, especially corn, wheat or flour. Carbohydrates or sugars.
See below for recommendations for overweight pets.
| Nature's Logic | The world's only completely natural diet. No synthetic vitamins or minerals. With very low grain content and the grain being millet (which is low carb), the diet is completely nutritious and satisfying. |
| EVO | EVO is a grain-free food from Natura. It is bound with potato and has a very high protein percentage, necessary for muscle tone and great for skin & coat. A very nutritionally dense food, is is perfect to satisfy the appetite of your pet. Available in original (chicken/turkey) and red meat (lamb/venison). |
| Nature's Variety Instinct | Instinct is a grain-free food made by Nature's Variety. Bound with tapioca, it is a high protein, low carb food. Great for weight-loss or for dogs with grain sensitivities. Available in Chicken and Duck/Turkey. |
| Nature's Variety Raw Frozen Diet | The raw frozen diet is a pre-packaged BARF diet. Consisting of fresh meat, bone and veggies, it is meant to be defrosted and served raw. The most natural and nutrient dense diet that resembles their natural diet. |
| 95% meat, Grain-free canned diets. | Canned diets made by EVO, Instinct & Nature's Logic are good for weight loss and can suffice as the full diet for both large and small dogs, if desired. |
The diets of overweight pets can be supplemented with low fat additives such as raw veggies, canned pumpkin and low-fat yogurt. Once your pet realizes that it is receiving ample nutrition from its food, it is likely to cut back on its own. Don't mistake this seeming disinterest for no longer "liking" the food. Your pet is learning to understand the "satisfied" signal from his stomach. It is very likely that your dog or cat will need to eat less than you think they do.