Weight Loss for Winter

By: Allyson Smith Summer is drawing to an end and the school year is beginning. With the children headed back to school and the warm summer days fading to cooler fall evenings, it's the perfect time to give some extra attention to your furry friends! Often times our summers are too busy with camp, children, vacations, etc. and our pets unfortunately get pushed lower on our priorities list. Or perhaps the days were just too hot or too humid to take your pets for walks. Maybe your dog or cat put on a few pounds this past summer…and likely, will put on a few more during the winter months because it is too cold for walks or winter breaks bring children home and vacations resurface. Fall is the perfect time to get back out there. The weather has cooled down and the busy summer season is relaxing. Why not take your dog for a walk or set up a play date? Treat your cat to a good game of chase that gets them up and active. Taking just a few pounds off an overweight pet can help them feel much better, reduce strain on their bodies and live a longer, healthier life! See Dr. Zeitz's complete article on obesity on the back of this newsletter! Ringo Star Many HVH visitors have been asking about Ringo, our Glouchester Crested Canary who used to reside in the lobby. Ringo originally came to Hudson Vet when Officer Santucci, the animal control officer in Ossining, found him frozen in a garbage dumpster. He had a band on his leg to identify him, but it was impossible to find his owners. At the hospital, Ringo was "thawed out" and began chirping. He had a few injuries from his experience, but none were life threatening and Ringo seemed to bounce back to life. He lived in the HVH lobby for about 4 years before he was moved about a year ago when the drafts from open doors were making him ill. He moved to Kirsten's home where he lived for the past year. Unfortunately, Ringo passed away this past month. We are all saddened by his loss, but are happy to know how many of you have remembered him, despite his absence. Summer Photo Fun! Did you take your pet on vacation with you this summer? Does your cat like to stretch out in the summer sun? Does your dog sail with you? Send us some pictures! All submissions will be posted on our website. Frontline Reminder Tick Season! Oh my! While summer is often thought of as the worst time of year for ticks, they actually prefer spring and fall weather. Don't forget to continue to apply frontline to your cats and dogs throughout the fall and even into the winter. Ticks (and fleas) will be active any time the ground is not frozen. While they have peak seasons (spring and fall) they are out at other times as well. It's best to be safe rather than sorry in this situation and protect your pets as best you can. If you are using Frontline but still find a lot of ticks on your dog, please consider using a Preventic Collar. This collar protects your pet against ticks only, but when used with Frontline is very effective. This collar can be purchased through our online pharmacy or in our hospital. Sorry cat lovers, Preventic collars are not cat-safe. Kennel Cough and the Dog Flu There have been reports of kennel cough outbreaks at some kennels in the area. There have also been reports of the dog flu resurfacing. Although the flu is not yet local, it's important to be sure your dog is current on his or her kennel cough (bordatella) vaccine before taking him/her anywhere you might encounter other dogs. This includes the dog park, doggy day care, walks around other dogs, play dates, obedience classes, grooming salons and of course kennels. If your dog is not current on the kennel cough vaccine and you have plans to attend a dog-populated location, it's best to bring your pooch in for the vaccine at least 7 days prior to your scheduled dog-meet. Pet Obesity By: Dr. Zeitz There is an epidemic in our beloved companion pet population. It is the same epidemic that plagues humans in this country as well. That epidemic is obesity. Some studies estimate that an incredible 70% of all dogs and indoor cats are overweight. Obesity eventually leads to a variety of health issues in EVERY pet. Younger pets can carry the extra weight without apparent consequences. However as they reach late middle age problems such as arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease will start to rear their ugly heads. Even if you do not see any obvious signs of a problem, you can be assured that the extra pounds are speeding up the aging process and may shorten your pets life. As well it will reduce the quality of life in his/her older years. There are options to prevent obesity or to get your pet to loose weight if needed. The earlier in life you start the better. Keeping your pet fit and on a healthy diet and exercise routine from a young age is very important. If you start your dog on an exercise program late in life you must be very careful not to set off any musculo-skeletal problems. There are two main components that contribute to obesity; high calorie intake and lack of exercise. High calorie intake can be the result of eating too much food, eating high caloric foods, or a combination of both. Lack of exercise can be a result of busy schedules, or your pets limitations. We must combat both of these problems to help your pet lose weight. My weight loss rule is 5%/5%/5%. The first step in the program is to measure exactly how much food you are feeding and then reduce the overall amount by 5%. Next mix in specific low calorie foods so that the overall calorie count is reduced by 5%. The third step is to increase your dogs activity to burn 5% more calories. This is not an easy program to set up, follow and stay with, but your Veterinarian can help. Most store bought foods are not true calorie restricted diets. Light foods or diet pet foods that can be purchased over the counter typically contain only 3-4% fewer calories than regular foods. However, reduced calorie prescription diets available through your veterinary office are 15-20% fewer calories. While the high calories are problematic so is the fact that most pet owners cannot truly see how much they are feeding their pet. It is important to pick up scoop or cup with measurements on it to help manage the amount of food you are actually giving your pet and help maintain consistency in a home were multiple people may feed the family pet. Many people increase their older dogs exercise too much too quickly (especially in the hot humid weather). When starting a new exercise routine with your pet, especially an older pet, consult your veterinarian for advice to avoid sparking arthritis or other problems. If your pet is significantly overweight or a regular weight loss program is not achieving expected goals your veterinarian may recommend a new medication called Slentrol from Pfizer. It is a prescription weight loss medication for DOGS only. It is designed to decrease appetite and therefore reduce calorie intake even beyond food quantity restrictions and prescription weight loss foods. This is not a panacea for weight loss. It works only as part of an overall program as described above. If you are concerned about your pets weight, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. We will be glad to help set up an overall weight loss program including free monthly weigh-ins to assess your pets progress.