Weighty Matters

Gracie weighs 20 pounds.  I knew she had put on a little weight over the winter; don’t we all?  My suspicions were confirmed during a recent trip to PetSmart.  They have a clinic in the back of the store.  Beside the counter is a scale which the staff let me use. 

While it was difficult to get a precise weight, the average was about 20 pounds.  Gracie weighed 16 pounds when she joined our little furry family almost four years ago.  I prefer her weight to be in the 17 to 18 pound range.

Obesity is a problem for everyone in this country.  We all need to keep a close eye on our weight so that we can live long, active lives.  Unfortunately, our pets are only here for a short time.  Don’t you want to spend as many years with them as you can?

I would like for Gracie to lose two pounds.  That may not sound like a lot of weight.  It is 10 percent of her body weight.  Imagine how much weight you would lose if you lost 10 percent!

How will I accomplish this?  For starters, I have reduced the size of the treats I make her.  They are now about one-third of the original size.  I am also reducing her wet food intake.  I suspect the new “grain free” food has some extra fillers that are fattening.  The pounds seem to creep on after she began eating grain-free wet food.

The next step is the hardest:  exercise.  This was not an issue until recently.  The zap from the electric fence has left Gracie totally frazzled.  She still refuses to take the usual route for our walkies, preferring to stay on our property.  It is not enough exercise for her.  In the coming weeks, I will try harder to help her overcome her fear so we can resume our long walkies.

Yes, it is hard to help your pet lose weight.  It is not easy for us humans to do it.  We must try, though.  While I am helping Gracie get more exercise, I will help myself in the process.  I want to be here for every moment of Gracie’s life too. 

If you have been a little slack with your or your pet’s health, take this opportunity to put on your sneakers and go for a walk.  You do not have to take a 10-mile walk.  Just start with a few steps.   You can do it!

Rescue Mommy

Lessons Learned

I cannot help but wonder, “Is there something I could have done differently?” whenever I think about poor Maddy. If you have been through a similar experience, you know how you wonder this about pets you have lost. You have to tread carefully. The key is to learn from the experience and use those lessons to care for your living pets. Honor the memory of your departed friend by being an even better parent and cherish the good memories you have. Do not wallow in the grief.

So, as I ponder the “what if” question, I have a few lessons to share with you. I hope you too can use these lessons to be a better parent to your furry friends.

I should have taken the weight issue much more seriously. I knew it was not healthy for her to be so overweight. I tried over the years to switch to different foods. I should have tried harder, though. It is difficult with two cats to monitor food intake. It takes extra work - separate feedings, taking away food, et cetera. I should have done it.

I also should have been diligent about weight checks. I checked her weight occasionally. I should have dedicated myself to checking it on a regular basis as I worked with the diet food to get her weight under control. I should have charted her weight and food intake from week to week.

I did not do these things, though. If we are honest with ourselves, I am sure all of us can say we do not even do these things for our own bodies, much less our pets.

So, what am I going to do going forward with Kiki and Gracie? I am going to keep a close eye on their weight, obviously. Their current weight is acceptable for their body types.

It is time for Kiki to have a checkup, so we will do a full blood panel and compare it to her last one. Given her age, I should consider taking her to the vet more frequently, so we can catch issues early. She will not live forever, but I can give her a good life while she is here.

As for Gracie, I will continue with her exercise regimen and keep a close eye on her weight too. Her next checkup is due in the fall.

Am I beating myself up about Maddy? Obviously, I am a little. However, I know this for certain: Maddy did not suffer. She had a warm home in the wintertime and a cool home in the summer, filled with lots of comfy beds, kitty condos, and cat toys. She had lots of good food to eat (clearly). Born to a stray momma, her life turned out very well, and how can you be sad about that?

Rescue Mommy

Pet Obesity

We found another interesting article. This one appeared in the Wall Street Journal, of all places, on February 22, 2011. Here is the link:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704476604576158372088195308.html?KEYWORDS=pet+obesity

Even if your buddy is not overweight, you should check out the article. They have some rather amusing pictures of dogs on specially designed treadmills. Have we really come to that?? We would rather put our dog on a treadmill than get off the sofa and take him/her for a proper walk?

Rescue Mommy and Daddy