Managing Your Pet’s Weight: 3 tips to keep dogs and cats healthy

(Family Features) Much like humans, dogs and cats can struggle with aging- and weight-related health issues. In fact, 3 out of 5 cats and dogs are overweight or obese, according to Packaged Facts’ U.S. Pet Market Outlook. Pet obesity can lead to several health issues and problems, including diabetes, cancer and osteoarthritis, according to research published in “Veterinary Medicine.” While leading a sedentary lifestyle and overfeeding are common factors that can lead to pets becoming overweight or obese, these simple tips from the pet food experts at Go! Solutions can help you manage your dog’s or cat’s weight to ensure he or she lives a happy and healthy life. Exercise and Play Regularly Just as important as your pet’s diet is ensuring he or she is active. For dogs, regular walks and hikes are a simple way to provide mental stimulation, improve muscle tone, increase metabolism and help reduce boredom while also getting necessary exercise. For high-energy dogs who need more stimulation, games like fetch, hide-and-seek and tug can help them burn off extra energy and tire more quickly on days when you don’t have time to spend hours outside with them. For cats, consider scratching posts, flirt poles, obstacle courses, setting platforms at multiple levels and simple toys like balls and fake mice to keep them active and engaged. Some cats can even be leash trained to go for walks. Address Dietary Needs Diet is a major factor in weight management for dogs and cats. The ideal diet for your pet provides the right balance of macro- and micronutrients, including protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals as well as the proper portion size to help prevent obesity. Formulated by Petcurean’s expert nutrition team, Go! Solutions Weight Management + Joint Care Grain-Free Chicken recipe provides complete and balanced nutrition featuring premium quality, functional ingredients with zero by-product meals and artificial preservatives. To support a healthy weight and mobile joints in adult and senior dogs and cats, the formula includes L-carnitine to help burn fat into energy and fiber-rich psyllium husk to help keep pets feeling full. Glucosamine and chondroitin in the recipe for dogs and chondroitin from chicken cartilage in the recipe for cats helps support healthy joints and good mobility.     Keep Treats in Check An important part of weight loss and management is limiting the additional calories you’re providing your pet outside of his or her normal day-to-day diet. A little extra can go a long way, so keep packaged treats to a minimum and be mindful of things like slipping your pet table scraps or letting him or her lick out the almost-empty peanut butter jar. Keeping those additional calories in check can help keep your pet’s diet – and overall health – on the right track. Find more ideas for providing your dog or cat complete and balanced nutrition at go-solutions.com.