Pet Obesity On The Rise-Thanks To Junk Food

According to a charity, pets in Britain are being fed a heavy diet of junk food that includes scones, chocolates, pizzas and burgers. The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) fears that the trend is giving way to an epidemic of oversized pets. According to charity estimates, over the past one year itself, there has been a 10% increase in the number of overweight animals.

Animals feeding on such food are suffering from diseases synonymous with obesity in humans, ranging from poor energy levels and breathing problems to painful illnesses such as arthritis, asthma, diabetes and heart and liver problems. The petdefine owners could face prosecution for cruelty if their overweight animal is not made to slim down.

Sean Wensley, the PDSA’s senior veterinary surgeon said, “A single biscuit is like a packet of biscuits, or a single crisp is like a packet of crisps.” But people often underestimate how big a ‘small’ treat could be for a smaller than human animal.

Certain foodstuffs contain substances that are safe for human consumption but not for animals. Chocolate, for instance, has a stimulant called theobromine, which can cause heart failure in dogs. Avocados have persin, that can cause stomach upsets in cats and dogs.

As a preventive measure, the Guinness Book of Records has dropped listings of heaviest animals, fearing that people were overfeeding their pets in a bid to qualify. Last year, two brothers were arrested for causing unnecessary suffering after allowing their pet Labrador to become ‘grossly’ overweight.

Owners who think their pet is overweight should take their animal to the vet for a check-up in case there is a medical problem and seek advice on a diet and more exercise, PDSA owners have said.