Keeping Your Pet Trim and Healthy

When most of us hear about cruelty to animals we think skinny, malnutrition, and under fed animals. That’s not always the case.  Over-feeding your cat or dog can lead to just as many medical conditions as under feeding. A recent article sited by the Wall Street Journal reported that over half of U.S. dogs and cats are now overweight or obese. The study was conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. According to the study, one-fifth of dogs and cats are obese -- weighing 30% over a healthy weight.

Choosing healthy diets for our pets doesn’t mean you can’t give those treats. Treats should only make up about 5% of your pets caloric intake.  Many pet owners feed the proper amount of food but sabotage their efforts by adding one or two snacks throughout the day. 

If you're going to give your pets extra goodies, make them count.  Too many pet treats are calorie grenades laden with sugar and fat blowing up our pet's waistlines.  Choose low-calorie, no-sugar goodies that provide a health benefit. Choosing an all-natural based treat will ensure your pet’s health and satisfy your need to pamper. Here are a few things to look for:

• Barley is rich in anti-asset magnesium and it is certainly the most alkaline of all cereals. It is an excellent purifier and refresher of the blood in hot seasons. Barley is also a very low gluten grain.
• Whole wheat is loaded with good nutrition which can help protect your pet from heart disease and cancer. There’s a good reason that wheat has been highly regarded in countries all over the world and for thousands of years. Wheat is a nutrient dense food. It is high in B vitamins (for enhanced immunity), high in vitamin E for heart health and it possibly gives protection from some cancers.
• Whole wheat flour also contains selenium (which may protect against lung cancer), potassium and zinc. So, if your dog is not allergic to gluten, make sure that you include healthy whole wheat flour, wheat germ and wheat bran as some of the healthiest ingredients in his dog treats!

Here at Indulgence we carry a wide selection of all-natural, artificial color, and preservative free pet treats for your cat and dog. We carry wheat and corn free treats, for your dogs with allergies, in tasty flavors like venison, turkey, and peanut butter.

When it comes to keeping your pets healthy, research proves our most powerful partner is daily exercise.  For dogs, as few as 20- to 30 minutes of brisk walking is all it takes to boost immune function, improve cardiovascular health and reduce many behavioral problems.  For cats, try playing with a laser pointer, remote-controlled toy or ball of paper for 5 to 15 minutes each day.  While most pets don’t need it, there are even Doggy Camps for pets that really need to kick-start an exercise program (see details here).

Do yourself and your dog a favor and commit to daily walks, rain or shine. The health benefits of walking extend to both ends of the leash.