Obesity is turning a life threat for pets, say experts

Experts suggest that pet food should include basic ingredients such as chicken, lamb, salmon, duck, rice, etc.

Dubai - According to a 2016 study, an astounding 59 per cent of cats and 54 per cent of dogs are overweight or obese.

A large number of cats and dogs are now obese according to a research, and that these numbers are expected to rise in coming years as more pets (like humans) live less active lifestyles and eat too much food. 
According to a 2016 study, an astounding 59 per cent of cats and 54 per cent of dogs are overweight or obese. Like humans, pet obesity is linked to a slew of health issues, including heart and kidney health, arthritis, cancer and any number of other diseases triggered by inflammation. This growing epidemic is typically caused by two things: over-feeding and poor nutrition. 
"A proper balance of nutrients is essential when feeding your beloved pet. Animals (and humans) need a certain combination of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water every day in order to function at their best. Without adequate nutrition, your pet would not be able to build and repair muscles, teeth and bone, nor perform normal daily activities with ease or fight off infection," said Yakub Omarji, pet nutrition portfolio manager who leads Calibra, the pet food brand at Eurovets.
"Proper nutrition is important to help animals fight diseases. Avoid over-feeding pets, and be cautious while selecting the food. Ensure high quality, hypoallergenic ingredients, clarity and accuracy of the labelling, to provide your pet with balanced nutrition for a healthy life. Balance is achieved through a precise mix of ingredients to meet specific needs in terms of amino acids, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and vitamins," added Omarji.
Dr Monique from USVC told Khaleej Times: "Obesity is still maintaining a high rate as we get loads of cases of obese pets, mostly cats and dogs. People fail to realise that it is not just obesity but a lot of other diseases such as arthritis, heart diseases, diabetes can shorten the life of their pet." 
Samah Al Manzalawy, who has seven cats and a dog, said: "I have actually done a bit of trial and errors at the beginning to ensure the product I use is one which provides my pets with their needs, and of course something they like and enjoy. I provide my cats with different types where I do use dry food which is available all day for them and it's something they munch on, and the wet food which they get twice a day - in between just like humans, they enjoy some treats."
Dr Lucinda Nattrass, managing veterinarian and partner, Dubai Kennels and Cattery (DKC) and DKC Veterinary Clinic, said: "While many pet owners believe that home cooked diets are a good source of nutrients and a healthy alternative to commercial pet foods, they are usually too high in phosphorous. It is important that pet owners study and analyse the various food brands and choose the right ones to be able to provide their pet with both a good quality and balanced diet."
Laura Hosford, owner of luxury dog and cat boutique Howl & Growl, who has two dogs and cats, said a big promoter of raw food for cats and dogs, said: "We started to integrate more raw food in the diet of our pets that we were preparing ourselves at home initially. Now since on this kind of food, I have seen immense improvement in them; their coats are soft and shiny; when they go to toilet they excrete lot smaller as they are digesting what they eat; their stool doesn't smell bad. Their teeth are better, eyes are shinier."
In recent times, the quality of pet food has become extremely important to ensure pets lead a healthy and active life. Research suggests that the Global Pet Food Market was estimated at a value of about $78.76 billion in 2017 and the industry is forecasted to register a CAGR of over 5.03 per cent over until 2023.

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