Search Results for: blog pet obesity rates still climbing

How to Help Your Pet Lose Weight

Are you not sure if your pet is overweight? Have you had trouble getting your pet to lose weight, or do those last few pounds refuse to come off? If you have any of these problems, today’s article is for you. Dr. John Lupo from the Malibu Vet Clinic posted some advice about maintaining a healthy weight for your pets on his local patch.com, and we’re going to examine it today. The first thing is to determine whether or not your pet is overweight. Obviously a veterinarian can do this, but why wait to see the vet? There are ways … Continue reading →

Spending on Pets Skyrockets

Despite our recession (though apparently it’s recovering), some industries are on the rise. One of them, according to BBC News, is the pet industries. That’s right, in a time when pet food banks are growing at Animal Control facilities across the country and some people are still losing/struggling to stay in their homes, Americans are spending more on their pets than ever before. As you might guess, 65% of the overall amount spent is on food and veterinary costs. More people are also buying pet insurance. Maybe this just indicates that more people are looking to own more pets. This … Continue reading →

Pet Obesity Rates Still Climbing

The trend I first wrote about two years ago is only getting worse. Pet obesity rates continue to rise in America, and unfortunately that’s not all. Not only are once-healthy pets gaining weight, ones that are already obese continue to put on the pounds. Cleveland’s Fox 8 profiles the epidemic. The Association for Pet Obesity recently ran a study that concluded 25% of cats and 21% of dogs are overweight. Those numbers are slightly up from the last study (and the last article I wrote on the topic) in 2010. As already mentioned, one of the most worrying parts of … Continue reading →

Dog Treats Causing Kidney Failure

What is it with the same horrible stories recurring again? First all the dog food recalls and now those chicken jerky treats I first posted about in November are in the news again. Late last year the FDA issued a warning that they’d been receiving reports that chicken jerky treats manufactured in China were making some dogs sick. The details were muddied: no one brand could be identified as causing problems, the FDA had been receiving reports on and off for years about illness related to these types of treats, and only issued warnings when the number got high enough. … Continue reading →

Flaky Cats and What to Do About Them

My cat Chrestomanci is flaky. I don’t mean that he isn’t reliable or backs out on obligations (though I’m sure that too – he is a cat, after all), but that he has a dandruff problem. He’s had it ever since I’ve known him, even back when he was still just one of the cats kept by the rescue for which I volunteer. I’ve never been too concerned about Chresti’s dandruff, though I guess it’s a little gross. When I took him to the vet in February I asked about it, more out of curiosity than out of concern. At … Continue reading →

When Veterinary Euthanasia is O.K.

In an old episode of “The Office,” Dwight puts his girlfriend Angela’s beloved cat in the freezer. He does so because the cat is ancient and has so many medical issues that it’s barely alive. Dwight lives on a farm, and as he tells a devastated Angela, “sometimes farm people have to do what city folk are too weak to.” Obviously Dwight’s actions on the show are horrible (and played for comedic effect), but they raise an interesting question: Dwight genuinely thought he was doing what was best for the cat and he did it in what he considered a … Continue reading →

Why My Veterinarian Is the Best

(but my cat doesn’t think so) Last Thursday I took Cole to the vet for his annual visit. Although I didn’t get many more answers there than I did when Chrestomanci had his trip, I left much more satisfied. I’m just continually reminded why I love my vet. I brought up my questions about Cole’s behavioral antics and, unfortunately (though I suspected as much) the vet didn’t really have any advice for me. She said many cats enjoy being in high places, and that there’s not a lot to do to deter them. I asked whether he would be happier … Continue reading →

Grain-Free Food Can Improve Behavior and Allergies

I started an experiment the day I took Chrestomanci to the vet: I put all of the animals on grain-free food. I’ve always wondered about whether or not I ought to take my pets off of corn-filled kibble, but the extra expense has always given me, and especially my husband, pause. When I asked the vet about Chresti’s dandruff problem she said that wetter grain-free food might help. A locally-owned store next to the veterinarian’s office sells a variety of such foods, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to at least go in and get a bunch of samples. I … Continue reading →

The Long-Awaited Vet Visit

Yesterday I took Chrestomanci to the vet. I’d been looking forward to this for a couple reasons: one, for advice about all the feeding/misbehaving issues, and two, to compare vets. The visit was disappointing in many ways, but at least it cleared up one issue for me. First I’ll explain what issue it cleared up. I take Chihiro and Cole to a vet that’s five minutes from our old apartment, but closer to twenty-five minutes from our house. I’ve had really good experiences there. But I also have heard a lot about another veterinarian in the county, both through personal … Continue reading →