Being in line for a dog or cat means right weight and right proportions. Proper weight also means beautiful coat, good joints, toned muscles, a non-overtired heart and therefore good health. Let’s find out more about the causes of dog and cat obesity and how to treat it with natural remedies. 

>   1.  Obesity and its causes

>   2. Dog obesity: prevention and natural remedies

>   3. Cat obesity: prevention and natural remedies

>   4. Natural advice

Obesity and its causes

A dog or cat can be defined as obese when their weight exceeds the standard weight for the breed and age by at least 20% . Obesity is caused by an excess of lipids and fluids that spreads under the skin. 

Each breed and each subject has its own characteristics, to determine if your dog or cat is in the right shape must first be the veterinarian.

However, a preliminary diagnosis is possible by analyzing the “critical points” of the animal . In particular the ribcage and the waist .

In the first case it is good to feel the ribs under the fingers, even if these should not be too evident. In the second case, however, the waistline must be clearly evident. 

Of course, some elements affect the weight of a dog and cat more than others . In particular:

• The diet. It is better to prefer proper nutrition with foods appropriate to the species.
• The lifestyle . Movement and moderate physical activation help.
• The race . Small dogs gain weight more easily
• Age . Adult or older dogs and cats have a greater tendency to gain weight because they move less than puppies. 
• Sterilization . It always results in weight gain due to certain metabolic variations, regardless of race, gender and size.

Among the other causes of obesity, however, some health conditions of the animal can also be included, which create a series of alterations in the balance between the supply of nutrients and their effective use. 

Dog obesity: prevention and natural remedies

In dog obesity, a determining factor to keep under control is nutrition .

There are many ready-made diets on the market for both obesity problems and those related to excessive thinness. If they are of good quality, they give a great help because you can easily control the daily amount according to the current weight and the ideal weight to be reached.

In the dog it is sufficient to activate the daily quantity of feed in two moments , leaving only the water available to the dog. The dog can also be given:

• Lemon balm , Fucus vesiculosus and Hedera helix in the form of mother tincture: 5 drops every 10 kg of weight, 2 times a day. 
• Bach flowers can help if your dog eats out of boredom or if the food has become a obsession: White chestnut , Crab apple and Wild rose .

Cat obesity: prevention and natural remedies

In cats, weight control is different than in dogs , because the cat cannot fast for too long, but needs to eat little and often.

The important thing is to replace the usual food with a low-calorie one , avoiding snacks between meals.