Taking care of their diet is essential to guarantee the health and well-being of pets. However, the frequent offering of excess snacks, leftovers from human meals or inappropriate foods can harm the health of the animals. pets. These habits can promote weight gain, cause digestive problems and even trigger illnesses over time, compromising the animals’ quality and longevity of life.

A survey by pet food manufacturer Royal Canin, carried out with more than 14,000 owners and 1,750 veterinary professionals in Brazil, the United Kingdom and Mexico, reveals that many owners still have difficulty identifying what really characterizes a healthy weight for their animals.

This lack of information is directly reflected in the health of the animals. The study “Pet Obesity: Health Impacts and Innovations in Weight Management”, published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science, points out that around 60% of dogs and cats around the world suffer from obesity.

Factors that increase the risk of obesity in animals

The veterinarian and professor at Afya Montes Claros, Poliana Rocha Fraga Botelho, explains that obesity can cause several animal health problemssuch as diabetes, joint problems, heart disease, difficulty breathing and even reduced life expectancy. Therefore, controlling your diet and weight is essential to maintain your pet healthy.

“Currently, obesity in dogs and cats is quite common, mainly due to some everyday factors. Among the main ones are excess snacks, offering food beyond the recommended amount, high-calorie diets and lack of physical activity”, he warns.

Furthermore, the lack of space and incentives for physical activity can contribute to a more sedentary lifestyle, favoring weight gain and other health problems. “Many pets they live in more restricted environments, such as houses or apartments, and end up exercising little. Furthermore, it is very common for owners to associate feeding with a form of affection, offering food several times throughout the day”, he adds.

Natural food can be an interesting alternative to help maintain the health and appropriate weight of pets. However, adopting this type of diet requires veterinary supervision or guidance from an animal nutrition specialist. Without this care, there is a risk of nutritional imbalances occurring. A lack of essential nutrients or an excess of vitamins and minerals can cause metabolic problems and even cause irreversible damage to the health of the animal. pet.

“Offering an adequate diet, in the correct quantity, and avoiding excesses makes all the difference in quality and life expectancy. It is also important to remember that each animal has specific needs, so the ideal is to always have veterinary monitoring to guide the best diet in each case”, explains Poliana Rocha Fraga Botelho.

Simple care helps prevent various diseases, contributes to the proper functioning of the body and allows possible problems to be identified early. “Taking care of your diet, maintaining an adequate weight, encouraging physical activity and carrying out regular check-ups are simple attitudes that contribute greatly to ensuring a longer and healthier life for our children. pets“, adds the veterinarian.

Foods prohibited for pets

In addition to quantity and nutritional balance, it is necessary to pay attention to the food offered to animals. Poliana Rocha Fraga Botelho cites some common items in human food that can be toxic to dogs and cats:

1. Chocolate: contains theobromine, a substance toxic to the pets. Depending on the amount ingested and the size of the animal, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, agitation, cardiac arrhythmias and even convulsions;
2. Grape and raisin: They are highly toxic, especially to dogs. Same small quantities they can cause acute kidney failure, a serious condition that can progress quickly;
3. Onion and garlic: have compounds that can destroy red blood cells (red blood cells), leading to anemia and other health problems;
4. Avocado: contains a substance called persin, which can cause gastrointestinal disorders and other toxic effects in some animals;
5. Xylitol: sweetener present in various foodscandies, sweets and diet/zero products. It is extremely toxic to dogs and can cause a sudden drop in blood glucose (hypoglycemia), seizures and even liver failure.

“Therefore, the safest thing is not to offer food for human consumption to pets without veterinary guidance. In case of accidental ingestion of any of these foods, seek a veterinarian immediately”, concludes the professor at Afya Montes Claros.

By Matheus Garcia