Veterinarians warn about dogs slipping into the fleshy grip of the obesity epidemic, much like their owners. About 30% of the dog population is overweight. Fat dogs may suffer obesity-related diseases such as heart and circulatory diseases, joint problems and diabetes. Fat dogs are also more prone to respiratory problems, cancer, reproductive disorders and suffer a decreased quality of life. Overweight dogs need to be rehabilitated by: less calories from food and more exercise. It is that simple! A quick test for you to check upon your dog’s weight status is that it should be easy to feel the ribs and there should be no fat hanging from its abdomen.

Read the rest of this entry »

As a loving dog owner you must wish a long life of high quality for your tail-wagger. Many experiments (mainly performed in rodents) have shown that calorie restriction increases life span. Suppose you restrict your dog’s diet to only 75% of his regular menu. Will he be hungry, live longer and hence live a longer period craving food? Not necessarily! You need not reduce the amount of food, just the calories. So you start feeding him a better quality food with all the necessary nutrients present but with fewer calories. The composition may also affect the signs of ageing. Perhaps when we find the holy grail of the perfect dog food, it may suit you just as well! No forget about that last remark, I was only kidding

Read the rest of this entry »