As if the owner's weight problems aren't enough, pets are now treading in their masters' oversized footprints. An astonishing 30% of all South African pets, more than 2,5 million cats and dogs, are estimated to be overweight, according to recent statistics released by Hill's Pet Nutrition.
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Too much food, too little exercise
Obesity is the most common form of malnutrition in pets and increases their risk of developing a whole range of health problems, including heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and cancer.
The disease has recently been declared the biggest health problem amongst British canines. And South African pets are following suit.
Over-feeding and under-exercising are the main causes of pet obesity. An excess calorie intake of one percent is enough to produce pet obesity by middle age.
Symptoms of an overweight pet
Look out for the following signs of obesity:
An inability to feel a pet's ribs
An inability to see a pet's waist
Tiredness, lethargy or shortness of breath
Get going
If your pet really is your best friend and you want it to live a long and happy life, feed it the right amount of healthy food and take it for regular walks, which will help to beat the bulge.
Your local vet can also give your pet a free weight check as well as advise you on how to put your pet on a weight management programme.
If you want to drastically improve your pet's health and win yourself an exotic holiday, you can also enter the Hill's Pet Slimmer of the Year competition. Entries open in March and close in August 2003.
Visit your local vet for entry forms or call (021) 790 1847 or toll free on (0800) 228 783 for more details.
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