By XAVIER SMERDON
HUMANS are not the only ones that need to watch what they eat and make sure they are fit and healthy.
A Werribee vet is encouraging pet owners to get their furry friends weight checked to avoid health problems.
Dr Roslyn Lui, Vet Director at Greencross Vets in Werribee said a checkup could be lifesaving for family pets and obese animals typically have shorter lifespans compared to those closer to optimum weight.
“Pet owners are often completely unaware that their pets are obese, let alone understand the potential health problems this can cause,” Dr Lui said.
“This is partly due to a lack of knowledge about what their animals should be eating, how much, and how often.”
Doctor Lui said the main factor contributing to pet obesity is overfeeding.
Reasons for overeating include owner influence, emotional stress or boredom, and competition in multi-pet households.
According to Dr Lui pet obesity can lead to heart disease, respiratory and cardiovascular problems, diabetes, increased surgical and anaesthetic risk and cancer.
Greencross Vets is offering free weight and diet assessments for pets, which provide important education for pet owners about how to prevent obesity.
The free assessment supports Greencross Vets’ Healthy Pets Plus programme which helps prevent disease, detect and identify health issues, and maintain a pet’s health through regular checkups.
For more information visit www.greencrossvet.com.au or call 1300 473 369.
