Give Your Pet A Day At The Spa!
So you are asking yourself, “self, why in the world would this newspaper, devoted to kids nutrition, fitness and health, have an article on pets?” Let me explain. You’re right about The Nerdhealth News. We are devoted to educating and helping kids and parents eat healthier, making exercise fun and helping to make the right choices. But we must not forget our devoted friends and companions, our pets. Did you know that according to AnimalWorldNetwork.com, a surprising 52 million dogs and 57 million cats live with U.S. families? Their nutrition, exercise and well being are also important. How many times has your veterinarian said,” better cut down on the portions and switch to a healthier food?” Well I bet it’s been said to you a lot! We have a tendency to overfeed our pets. Whether they are given too much pet food, or too much table food or both, our pet’s health is also at risk. When was the last time that you actually took your dog for a walk? Yep! Remember how happy your dog was when you went to get the leash? The tail was wagging 100 miles per hour. It was good for both of you. How much exercise is your pet getting every day? Can your pet run as fast as he or she use to? Getting exercise with your pet is one of the best ways that will help keep you fit, and your pet too!
Veterinarians are seeing a lot more chronic diseases in animals. More overweight animals, more arthritis, more diabetes and more heart disease. Let’s face it, our pets are growing up in the same environment that we are and subsequently getting the same type of illnesses.
So what can we do? Well it’s simple. Ask your veterinarian about the health of your pet. Get a preventive check up! That’s correct. Prevention is the name of the game. It not only applies to us humans, but also to our animals. The technology that is available to animals these days is basically the same that’s available in our doctor’s offices and hospitals. There are ultrasound machines to look for heart ailments in pets and sophisticated xray and CT scan machines. How about a pet spa? Did you know that according to the American Pet Products Manufacturer Association (APPMA), an estimated $3 billion dollars will be spent on pet services in 2008 including pet spa’s, pet lifestyle programs and even pet pampering at hotels like the Ritz-Carlton. Watch the portion sizes you are giving. Animals don’t have a great sense of being full. They depend on us to help them in that area. So don’t think you are helping them by overfeeding them. Interesting! The same rules apply to all of us as well!! Make sure that your pet gets the appropriate (as your Vet) amount of daily exercise that he or she should! Take the time and walk with them. Get a pedometer! 10,000 steps a day is the equivalent to approximately 5 miles so you can get a great work out by walking with your pets. Watch the amount of salt, sugar and saturated fat that your pet is getting daily. This is not only a recommendation for humans!
So let’s recap: Cutting back on portion sizes, increasing the exercise, less salt, sugar and saturated fats, may make a big difference in your pets long term health. Remember when you played ball with your pet? We love our pets. Kids love pets too. It builds confidence and compassion for animals and teaches responsibility. We are trying to teach our kids to eat right and exercise so let’s also teach our kids how to keep our pets as healthy as they can be. Our children will grow up with a better understanding of how to care for pets. It’s a win-win, or really a ruff-ruff for everyone!
Posted in: Penny's Pets News
