JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – America has a new obesity epidemic -- one in every three dogs and cats is overweight. That's according to a new study from Banfield Animal Hospital.
The animal hospital crunched the numbers after seeing an increase in overweight pets being taken in nationwide. The researchers found obesity is up 158 percent in dogs and 169 percent in cats over the last 10 years.
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While portly pets may be cute, local veterinarians said it's important to watch how much food you give your four-legged friend.
"They want to bond with their pet, so they want to give them food, treats, but sometimes with the caloric density of that, it's hard to really add it up -- sometimes even to journal it -- like human nutritionists will recommend," Jessica Burgess, with St. Francis Animal Hospital, said. "Keep a journal of what you're giving, so at the end of the day you can see what you're giving."
One News4Jax viewer sent a video of her dog Nala taking a nap. She's an 11-year-old golden retriever mix, and at 95 pounds, she's about 20 pounds overweight.
You could go to extreme measures like one owner did for her pet, Ally Girl. She was put on a doggie treadmill for exercise. Walking is a great way to get your pet active.
If you're stuck inside during one of our Florida rain storms, try to play fetch with your dog, or use a laser pointer to get your cat active. Also, double-check with your vet about food portions. You may be overfeeding your pet.
The easiest way to check if your pet is overweight is to feel their rib cage. If you can feel their ribs easily without seeing them, your pet is fine. But if you're having to really dig in there to feel them, you're pet is overweight.