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5 Dog and Cat Food Diet Tips From Veterinarians

Dogs > Diet and Nutrition > 5 Dog and Cat Food Diet Tips From Veterinarians

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Health problems in an obese cat or dog can be easily avoided with healthy food and regular exercise. If you want to give your dog or cat a long and healthy life, follow these nutrition and exercise tips for your pet.

Control Portion Amounts

By limiting calorie intake and controlling the amount your pet eats, dogs and cats will gain more energy and lose weight. Here are some tips:

Measure out food amounts before feedings
Don't leave your pet's bowl out during the day
Feed your pet 2 to 4 small meals a day
Create a feeding schedule to boost your pet's metabolism
If switching foods, mix the new and old cat or dog food gradually to avoid digestive problems
Showing love and affection to reward your animal for good behavior rather than only offering treats
Use treats that are low in calories and fat content such as carrots or skinless chicken
Avoid table scraps, which can lead to poor eating habits, an unbalanced diet, obesity and problems with begging

Keep Your Pet Active

Get your pet off the couch and moving to help him lose weight and stay healthy.
Go for a bike ride
Take a walk or run
Go swimming
Play fetch
Provide cat toys, climbing trees or catnip for indoor cats
Don't over exercise overweight or older pets
Wait 30 minutes between feedings and exercise
Leave fresh water out to keep your pet hydrated

Choose the Best Quality Food

There are a number of calorie-restricted and weight loss cat and dog food options in stores today, but owners should not settle on whatever product is on sale. There is a reason that cheap food is so inexpensive-it is often filled with fillers and unhealthy ingredients. Once pets are eating healthier food they will be getting most of the nutrients they need, and won't need large portions.

Ingredients to avoid:

Cheap fillers like corn cellulose, corn and wheat gluten, brewers rice and corn bran
Meat and poultry by-products
Meat and bone meals with unspecified sources
Preservatives and sweeteners
Colorings and animal digests
Preservatives like BHT, BHA, ethoxyquin, and sodium metabisulphite
Fat and oils with unknown sources, like vegetable oil or animal fat

Ingredients to have:

Named meat sources like chicken, beef, lamb or fish that are listed as the main ingredients
Meals that identify which animal it came from, like chicken meal or beef meal
Named fats and oils like chicken fat, sunflower oil or flax oil
Whole grains like oats, barley, rice or sweet potatoes (but never as the first, predominant ingredient)
Flavoring from chicken or beef broth

also see Timeless Dog Health Advice from Veterinarians

also see Homemade Dog Food Nutrition Made Easy

also see How A High Fiber Dog Diet Affects Digestion

also see Feeding Your Pet