Today is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day.  Unfortunately, pet obesity is a quickly growing epidemic.  The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimates that over 54% of cats and dogs in the United States are overweight or obese. 

According to a large study conducted in 2011 by Banfield Pet Hospital, the rates of obesity have increased over the last five years, 37% in dogs and 90% in cats.  These are staggering figures!  Yet a whopping 76% of dog owners and 69% of cat owners believe that their pet is at an ideal weight!  

Carrying extra weight increases the risk for a whole host of health problems.  In 2009, VPI Pet Insurance policyholders filed more than $17 million in claims for conditions and diseases that can be caused by excess weight.

You should be able to feel your pet’s ribs without exerting much pressure.  You should see a noticeable “waist” on your pet, between the back of the ribs and the hips, when viewing your pet from above.

If your pet is overweight making an effort to increase their daily exercise while reducing their volume of food will help them to shed some pounds.  Maintaining an ideal weight will go a long way to keeping your pet healthy.

Anyone who has gone onto a raw feeding forum or read articles on the subject will undoubtedly have come across the topic of poop. Raw feeders do love to talk poop! You might think it's kind of gross to be discussing your pet's feces. But what is really gross is dealing with large volumes of stinky soft kibble poop! 

Let's face it, it's not fun trying to get that out of your lawn. Scooping and scraping as quick as you can because you have to hold your breath the entire time due to the stench. Your entire yard stinks, the neighbors make comments about the odor (they must think you never scoop the poop) and it attracts flies making your yard a no go zone. Oh, and there's always the experience of stepping on one of those landmines, and of course it will be at the most inopportune time possible. If your pet is a cat you know the fun of dealing with the smell of a litter box in the house. Do you have anxiety about your pet pooping in a public place and it causing people to hold their noses and look in disgust?

Dealing with our pet's feces does not have to be a traumatic experience!

Fortunately the quality of the stool is only one of the many, many benefits to feeding your pet a raw diet. If you want to get back the use and enjoyment of your yard, eliminate litter box odor, and not worry about what kind of a disaster will come out of your dogs rear end at your next adventure at the dog park, think about switching to a raw diet. 

A smelly, poorly formed stool is not normal or healthy. It is a sign of illness and needs to be addressed. When we feed inappropriate packaged foods the effects will be seen in the health of our animals. The stool is a direct reflection of the health of the gastrointestinal system and tells us a lot about our pet's state of health/illness.

If you need some guidance getting your pet started on a raw diet please check out my nutritional services.