🐶 When is Pet Obesity Awareness Day 2024

Interestingly, people stress out so much when they put on a bit of weight and do everything they can endure to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Yet they hardly notice that their chubby kitty or doggy is turning into the overweight animal, with every excessive portion of the food and tidbits given out of love. Meanwhile, the obesity among the pets is a real issue which requires decisive actions.

When is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day in 2024? Read on and don’t forget to take a closer look at your beloved friend after that!

History

Cats and dogs, parrots and guinea pigs, fish and turtles – all of them accompany the human since time out of mind. We get attached to them and do our best to indulge and make them happy (and replete). Our pets are the kings of our hearts and, oftentimes, actions. Especially, when they make those “puss in boots” eyes full of appeal for pigging out on that treat you’ve just given one more time. Overall, we can’t resist those animal charms when they want to have a snack. Yet the animals themselves can’t resist getting fatter because of the too frequent connivance of their whims.

This problem was raised on the governmental level by the certified trainer Dr. Ernie Ward in 2005 when he established the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. The organization is responsible for keeping the four-footed members of American families slim and fit through the recommendations, consultations and all-embracing fight against the obesity with the help of the veterinary clinics.

In 2007, Dr. Ward proclaimed the date to boost the understanding of the problem and help the nation prolong the lives of their much-loved creatures as it assumes a grave character. Only in the US, around 59% of the cats and 54% of the dogs are suffering because of the excess body fat!

No matter what day Pet Obesity Awareness Day in 2024 falls on, always keep your friend in check. Let’s learn together how to understand whether your pet is under the threat and what you should do to ease the obese animal’s lot (and body).

Meaning

What does Pet Obesity Awareness Day mean? It means, first of all, look closely at your furry buddy and tell yourself, whether it really has a couple of extra kilos or it’s just its luxuriant hair.

If the weight of your companion exceeds the norm on more than 20% and its walk is swinging from one side to another while the belly is obviously sagging and the thighs are generously supplied with fat – there’s a bad news for you. All of these indicate the obesity.

The sad look of your puppy placing its head on your knees and praying for the extra bit of something yummy from the table and kitty’s meowing standing for “feed me more!” result in the damage to their health. The pets’ cadging at the kitchen oftentimes happens not because of hunger but due to the boredom or lack of attention.

According to the vets, up to 40% of their four-legged patients are overweight while 25% are obese. They are more subject to suffering the pain in the joints and ligaments leading to arthritis. Besides, the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases is much higher together with developing diabetes which may entail the blindness. If they need to undergo a surgery, there might be the problems with the anesthesia. In summers, they are also prone to the heatstroke. The extra weight worsens the skin and hair condition resulting in mats, dandruff, and alopecia. The death rate among the obesity marked animals is around 10% and mainly caused by the heart failure.

So, before feeling pity for your “underfed” fellow and give it just a little bit of the dainty, think of the price you may pay for that momentary fit of compassion! With the purpose of taking the real care for our furry chaps, be quick to tell your friends and colleagues when is International Pet Obesity Awareness Day 2024.

Definition

Obesity is one of the most frequent risks among the pets. It is a burning issue, especially in the megalopolises. The animals get fatter when a number of the calories consumed during the day exceeds the energy they expend and thus is put by in the form of the fat deposits. The overweight is caused by the hereditary predisposition, hormonal imbalance, aging, castration, lack of physical exercises and, first of all, the overeating.

What should we do? Of course, everyone – the owners and the vets – would like to have the wonderful pill that would make our four-footed buddies slim and fit. Unfortunately, no one has invented it yet, that’s way the only way to get over the obesity is a well-balanced diet. Here, everything depends on the diligence and responsibility of the “parent”. They must understand that reducing the body weight is a difficult (emotionally and physiologically) and slow process and takes lots of determination and persistence.

Some of the pets need to increase the physical activity while the others have to be under the feeding control and change their diet. The food for reducing the weight usually contains the higher amount of the cellulose, as it causes the satiation, and the low fat content, as it helps cut calories. It’s not advisable that you reduce the portion sizes as the animal would feel hunger and ask for a second helping.

In terms of the exercises for dogs, take the longer routes across you neighborhood and play in the backyard more frequently. Dogs love such things yet with the cats it’s a bit harder. They need to be entertained at home by triggering their natural hunting instinct – the safe toys, mechanical mice, laser pointer, and bright cat houses will help increase the waste of energy.

In any case, ask the professional first. Make an appointment at the vet clinic and have it examined thoroughly. Don’t feed up your pet whatever sad eyes it makes. Instead, give it the counter-attraction thing that it can gnaw at.

After your beloved four-legged chap is again fit and trim, feed it with the proper amount of food necessary for its body weight norm. Go on weighing it and seeing the doctor regularly as it is much easier to get rid of one or two kilograms instead of ten or fifteen!

What is the date of Pet Obesity Awareness Day 2024? It takes place on October 14.

Traditions

To observe the holiday, the APOP annually asks the veterinary clinics for the data on the physical condition of their patients. On top of that, on the threshold of the observance, they hold the promo events. For example, the clinics that examine more than twenty pets get the chance to partake in the lottery for iPod while the owners of the examined animals take part in the book drawing.

Tons of brochures and poster are printed for every year and are given out to the vet clinics’ visitors to raise the awareness of the problem.

Your way of celebration is a straightaway one. Drop by the vet’s with your pet in the carrier bag and make it undergo all the necessary examinations and screenings. It’s for its own good after all. And for the long co-existence of you two!

National Pet Obesity Awareness Day Facts

• By the way, there are two more holidays to keep you friends slender – National Walk Your Dog Day and Hug Your Cat Day (you know how long it takes to catch the kitty and embrace it).

Mark in the calendar, when is Pet Obesity Awareness Day in 2024, and feed and exercise your furry fellow properly.