As the obesity crisis continues to explode among Americans, more and more attention within the veterinary community has been focused on obsese dogs and cats. But while obesity in dogs and cats can be very harmful and cause disorders such as diabetes, hip dysplasia and kidney disorders, there is also a significant threat to pets that are underweight.
Without enough body fat on an animal, just as with people, organs cannot function like they should. It is very taxing on the heart, in particular. A cat or dog that is seriously underweight is at high risk for a number of diseases and disorders. They are also less likely to be able to fight off even relatively mild diseases if they have no excess body fat. It may end up being the difference between a pet surviving and living through an illness.
Weight loss can also be a tell tale sign of an underlying disease or disorder. There are a number of issues in dogs and cats that present themselves through weight loss. Some of these issues include:
• Diseases-weight loss for no particular reason can be a sign of serious illness. In cats it is often a sign of renal or kidney failure. It can also be a sign of diabetes in both dogs and cats. It is also often a sign of cancer.
• Parasites-parasites living within an animal feed off of animals. Worms can make even the most hungry, obsessive eaters look like they haven't eaten in weeks. Animals that are significantly underweight should immediately be checked for all of the common parasites that can affect dogs and cats. They should be dewormed just to be sure that worms are not the cause of the loss of weight.
• Eating issues-some animals are just very picky eaters. Particularly cats. Cats and dogs may decide to stop eating because they are nervous because of a big change. For example, many dogs and cats will lose a significant amount of weight after an owner moves houses and the animal feels disrupted and out of place.
Usually this type of weight loss will stop after a few weeks as the animal starts to adjust to the change.
Treating animals that are significantly underweight includes using prescription dog foods made especially for weight gain.
To find out more about underweight animals, visit the website of your Austin Vet Clinic today.
Without enough body fat on an animal, just as with people, organs cannot function like they should. It is very taxing on the heart, in particular. A cat or dog that is seriously underweight is at high risk for a number of diseases and disorders. They are also less likely to be able to fight off even relatively mild diseases if they have no excess body fat. It may end up being the difference between a pet surviving and living through an illness.
Weight loss can also be a tell tale sign of an underlying disease or disorder. There are a number of issues in dogs and cats that present themselves through weight loss. Some of these issues include:
• Diseases-weight loss for no particular reason can be a sign of serious illness. In cats it is often a sign of renal or kidney failure. It can also be a sign of diabetes in both dogs and cats. It is also often a sign of cancer.
• Parasites-parasites living within an animal feed off of animals. Worms can make even the most hungry, obsessive eaters look like they haven't eaten in weeks. Animals that are significantly underweight should immediately be checked for all of the common parasites that can affect dogs and cats. They should be dewormed just to be sure that worms are not the cause of the loss of weight.
• Eating issues-some animals are just very picky eaters. Particularly cats. Cats and dogs may decide to stop eating because they are nervous because of a big change. For example, many dogs and cats will lose a significant amount of weight after an owner moves houses and the animal feels disrupted and out of place.
Usually this type of weight loss will stop after a few weeks as the animal starts to adjust to the change.
Treating animals that are significantly underweight includes using prescription dog foods made especially for weight gain.
To find out more about underweight animals, visit the website of your Austin Vet Clinic today.
James Witherspoon
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Witherspoon
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