Time to Hit the Gym

Like many of us, our pets are carrying around extra pounds. A 12-pound Yorkie is equivalent to a 218 pound women. For our pets, just a few extra pounds can have some very real effects on their health. Overweight pets can develop diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, arthritis, lipomas ("fatty" tumors), and face a decreased life span. Larger dogs can get so heavy that the ligament in their knee can rupture requiring surgery.

In order to help our pets either lose weight or maintain a healthy weight it is important that we know how many calories our pet needs in a day. We also need to know how many calories are in the foods that we feed them.

(The weights given are for what your pet should weigh)

10 lb. cat..................275 calories

10 lb. dog................300 calories

20 lb. dog................500 calories

50 lb. dog.............1,200 calories

To find out how many calories are in your pet's food, you need to look at the label. All pet food has a nutritional label just like human food. It will tell you how many calories are in cup of food. You may be amazed at how little food you need to feed your pet a day to meet its caloric in take.

So how do you know what your pets ideal weight is? Look at the list below; if you don't find your breed listed, ask your veterinarian how much your dog or cat should weigh.

Ideal dog weights

Breed Weight

Beagle 26-31 lbs.

Boxer 53-70 lbs.

Dachshund less than 16 lbs.

German shepherd 70-95 lbs.

Golden retriever 55-75 lbs.

Labrador retriever 55-80 lbs.

Miniature schnauzer 11-15 lbs.

Miniature poodle 11 lbs.

Shih Tzu 8-18 lbs.

Yorkshire terrier 8 lbs.

Ideal cat weights

Breed Weight

Domestic cat 8-10 lbs.

Maine coon 11-15 lbs.

Persian 10-11 lbs.

Siamese 5-10 lbs.

With any good weight loss program you can't just cut the calories; you have to jiggle that fat away. You need to get your pet moving. That can mean taking you dog for a walk or having your cat chase a cat toy around the house. Whatever it is, you have to get your pets moving. Who knows you might even benefit from getting your pet out and moving-- you will improve your fitness and you might make some new friends along your walking path.

Like any program you start for yourself, you should consult your pet's veterinarian before starting your pet on a weight loss program.  A physical and blood work should be done on your pet to make sure that there are no underlying health problems that could be contributing to your pet's weight gain. After getting the green light, remember to stop by your veterinarian's office regularly to weigh your pet and chart his progress.