Entertaining your Pets
Walking your dog isn’t just about taking them around the block to do their “business”. It’s a simple activity that has SO many other benefits for your dog’s overall health, including their mental health.
Regular exercise is a great way to burn calories to keep excess pounds off and not just for your dog, but for us humans too! Walking keeps those joints mobile and can regulate the digestive tract making the routine of a walk a great way to keep your dog on “poop schedule”.
Walking your dog is also a GREAT way to keep them mentally stimulated. Dogs don’t like to be bored so if you give them something constructive to do, they may be less likely to do something destructive, like chewing the furniture! Allowing your dog to sniff also helps them to explore and make sense of their environment and keeps them mentally stimulated.
You are also the centre of your dog’s universe and they CRAVE your attention so what better way to spend quality time with your dog than by taking a walk together. Spending one to one time with your dog will deepen your bond and help to deter any unwanted attention-seeking behaviours.
Stuck for some ideas on how to keep your dog entertained in the home? Why not download these useful ideas and share your own game ideas with other owners!
Although cats bond with their environment rather than their human, there are ways in which you can entertain and keep you cat active and mentally stimulated too. Download some ideas at the link below.
We’d LOVE to see pictures of the activities you come up with. Just tag us #rowanvets
Cats and their Weight
#didyouknow that 44% of cats in the UK are considered to be overweight or obese? Sharing is definitely not caring when it comes to giving your kitty human tidbits. Check out the comparison chart below for other examples but feeding your cat just 1oz of cheese as a treat is the calorie equivalent to giving them 3 chocolate bars!
Learn more about our Nurse Pet Weight Clinics
Extra weight not only affects your cats day to day life but also their long-term health. Those extra pounds can cause additional health issues for them, such as diabetes, osteoarthritis and heart disease. Usually the hardest step for an owner takes is to acknowledge that their cat is overweight.
Weighing it up!
So how can you ensure that your cat isn’t getting more nutrition than they need? Whatever you feed your cat, it’s important to follow the product feeding recommendations, which can be found on the packaging, which will provide the recommended daily allowance for that particular product. Don’t forget, if you feed a combination of wet and dry you will need to reduce how much you give of each food type to stay within the total daily calorie recommendation i.e. feeding 50% wet food, 50% dry food would need an owner to halve the recommended daily amount for each food type because combined it would total their daily calorie allowance. You will also need to include any “treats” you might give your cat in the total daily calorie amount.
For some really in-depth information about feeding your cat or kitten, visit the International Cat Care website.
You can also make your cat work for their food like they would in the wild. Place dry food into a toy dispenser or hide dry food around the home for them to sniff out. Not only will this keep them entertained, it will increase their movement, helping them to burn calories.
Your Dog’s Weight
Obesity in pets in the UK is a massive problem. Up to 50% of pets are above their ideal weight for their breed, age and sex. This extra weight also causes additional health issues such as diabetes, osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease, subsequently increasing the cost of care for the owners as a result. According to a 2020 PDSA survey, 16% of dog owners and 17% of cats owners have admitted to feeding more treats to their pets since the start of lockdown and dog owners have also been more likely to have fed their pet more human food as part of their dog’s main meal during the same period.
Learn more about our Nurse Pet Weight Clinics
Would you know if your dog was overweight? In fact, how would you tell if your pet had any issue with their weight at all? It can be difficult to tell with an untrained eye but there are some easy and simple visual cues owners can check for, other than actually weighing your pet, that will give a good indication as to your dog’s weight and overall body condition. Visit our YouTube channel HERE which shows how you can check your dog’s body to get an idea if their weight is an issue.
Visual Clues
Download this chart to help you identify your dog’s body condition score.
Additional Health Issue
#didyouknow obesity shortens life expectancy and reduces quality of life – up to 2 years on average off the life of an average dog if they are obese which is equivalent to around 8 years off a human life!
So, what can you do?
If you think your pet is overweight there’s lots you can do! January is #nationalwalkyourpetmonth so what a great opportunity to think about all the ways in which you and your pet can improve your overall physical and mental health. It’s scientifically proven that exercise, even walking, and being outdoors can improve your mental and physical health, so what have you got to lose!! If you take the plunge, why not tag us in pictures of your walks #rowanvets #nationalwalkyourpetmonth. We’d LOVE to see you and your pet getting healthy and fit.
Weighing your dog’s food is another good way to ensure that you are not overfeeding your pet. Don’t forget to include and account for any treats you give your dog as part of their daily calorie intake.
Learn more about our Nurse Pet Weight Clinics
Stop, Think Before You Buy A Pet For Christmas!
It has been a year of restrictions, new rules and social isolation. During the initial lockdown earlier in the year, there were a record number of pets bought and sold. Sadly, there has also been a record number of pets that have been abandoned or put up for rehoming because owners found they no longer had the time or were unable to care for their pet when they went back to work.
With this in mind and with Christmas looming, we wanted to raise awareness of the importance of making a measured and informed choice to introduce a pet to your family. Christmas is another time where pets are bought either as an addition to a family or as a gift for someone else. We would always recommend not choosing a pet as a surprise gift but in any case, doing your research is vitally important.
To help educate and inform we’ve provided information on how to Choose a Healthy Pet, The Cost of Veterinary Care and the Importance of Insurance. There’s also information on the life-time costs involved in owing either a Cat, a Dog or a Rabbit, all designed to help you to make an informed choice about owning a pet.
If you want advice or have any questions, contact the team on 01772 639800 OR 01253 766352 and the team will be happy to help.
