Want to make sure your pet stays at a healthy weight?

Or, is your furball plumping up a bit and you’re not sure what to do about his or her diet?

According to a press release from Nationwide, excessive body fat in pets increases the risk of preventable health issues and may shorten the life expectancy of dogs and cats. According to the same release, top obesity-related conditions in cats include bladder/urinary tract disease, kidney disease and diabetes, while the top related conditions for dogs are arthritis, bladder/urinary tract disease and liver disease.

Figuring out how to feed your four-legged family member(s) may seem confusing at first (especially if kitty or doggy swear they’re hungry for a treat or table scraps 10 minutes after finishing a bowl of food). Fortunately, there are some helpful guides that can make it much easier. Here are three great resources to help with diet decisions that should keep your pet healthy and happy.

1) Your Dog Advisor has released a comprehensive guide on how often to feed your dog or puppy, including how to develop a feeding schedule and why free feeding might not be the best route. You can find it at: https://yourdogadvisor.com/how-often-to-feed-dog/

2) The Pet Nutrition Alliance website, which is American Veterinary Medical Association recommended, has both dog and cat Calorie Calculators that will tell you how much to feed your dog or cat through calculators after you type in some quick information, including your pet’s weight.

3) 1-800-PetMeds has a list of frequently asked questions about feeding dogs and cats at this link: https://www.1800petmeds.com/education/feeding-dog-cat-33.html.

In addition, the site also has a section on pets and how to help them safely lose weight: https://www.1800petmeds.com/education/feeding-dog-cat-33.html