Vandelizer, Flickr
"If I could only point to one factor causing the modern-day pet obesity epidemic, it would have to be treats," says veterinarian Ernie Ward, founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention and author of "Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs Are Getting Fatter – A Vet's Plan to Save Their Lives."
Vets and animal-nutrition experts point the finger at fattening pet snacks: Packed with sugar and carbohydrates, even the tiniest packaged cheese or bacon snack becomes what Ward calls "calorie grenades."
"It's that seemingly innocent extra 50 calories a day in the form of a chew or cookie that adds up to a pound or two each year. By the time a dog or cat reaches mid-life, it's overweight and health risks begin to skyrocket," Ward says. Obesity is being blamed for health problems such as diabetes, joint pain and breathing problems in pets.
That doesn't mean the snacks have to stop, but experts say treats should make up no more than 10 percent of your pet's daily calories. That's not much, considering a 10-pound cat needs less than 300 calories daily and a 40-pound dog should only get about 1,000 calories.
Making things trickier, manufacturers don't list calorie contents on their packages, and they don't have to.
Some of the worst offenders tend to be the newer "dental chews" for dogs, Ward says. One Purina BusyBone Dental Bone (Large) has a whopping 600 calories, while a Pedigree JumBone (small) has 297 calories, nearly an entire day's calories for a small dog.
Other popular treats and their calorie counts, according to Ward's research:
Pup-Peroni: 24 calories
Purina Beggin' Strips: 30 calories
Milk-Bone Biscuit (Medium): 40 calories
Purina Chew-eez Beefhide Chew Strips: 60 calories
Pedigree DentaBone (Medium): 188 calories
Experts recommend replacing processed treats with crunchy veggies such as baby carrots (only two or three calories per carrot), cucumbers (one calorie per half-inch slice) and celery (around six calories per stalk). For owners desiring a commercial dog treat, Ward likes Liver Biscotti, which deliver less than one calorie per piece.
No single treat is the culprit, however. The biggest problem is quantity, says animal nutritionist Susan Lauten, Ph.D., owner of Pet Nutrition Consulting in Knoxville.
"A family of four could be each giving the dog three treats a day and they don't know what the other person is doing," she says. She recommends that you measure out the amount of food that the dog or cat is going to receive per day, put it all in a freezer bag and only give treats out of that bag.
As for cats, the risk of packing on pounds is so high that Ward recommends avoiding treats altogether. If you must, give a pinch (3/4-inch flake) of salmon or tuna.
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I seldomly give our 3 big dogs treats....I think too much treats can cause dogs fatter....I use little treats for training. I simply feed them lweight maintenance dog food.
I give dogs some carrots, green beans, some kale (dogs love kale) and few slices of apple. Much less calories.
Apples are healthy, but be careful, apple seeds can be deadly for dogs.
Try yams - microwave them to make them soft then smash em up and put some in a Kong. give to pups when they cool.
No grapes !!! or raisins. Other veggies & fruits as you suggested are great.
Some fruits can be toxic to pets. Raisens and grapes are very toxic and can be fatal to pets.
I give my dog treats nd I agree.. they add weight. I try to only give one or two a day.
I did not know that dogs can have carrots, apples, celery, etc. I never know what is safe so I don't give her people food at all.
I will, however, try baby carrots since I always have a supply in the fridge for myself. Thanks for the tip.
there are lists online of what people foods are dangerous for dogs, most veggies are fine, as are fruits but avoid all seeds as apple seeds, peach pits, etc are toxic; chocolate and sweeteners are toxic, avocados are generally not good altho it again is the pit that is the bad part; onions and the family (like garlic) are bad as well; things like leftover steak, the fat trimmings, etc are bad not bec they are toxic but for the same reason bad for humans - too much fat, cholesterol, etc; search the internet for a list, you can go to ASPCA.org and they have info
Ya gotta watch out with celery. it has fibers (the stringy part) that sometimes will make it hard for your dog to do its "business". if you give your pet celery, cut it into small pieces like you do when u put it in your salads.
be careful giving your dog veggies- ours developed urinary tract infections b/c all those veggies made her urine almost pure alkaline
Baby carrots are great. Three reasons: (1) helps new teeth break through the gums (2) contain Vitamin C and (3) cools the gums on a teething puppy. He doesn't chew up everything in the house. Our dogs are 15 years old and still eat baby carrots. On some dogs baby carrots help express the annal glands. I know. Not a subject every pet owner wants to talk about. Our dogs like apples, peas, carrots, lettuce, cawliflower, lots of other veggies. Try it. they may like them.
I give my two big dogs (Lab & Husky) treats and they love Milkbone Biscuits in their Kong Biscuit Ball. They also like Turkey Jerky and get that when we come in from walking every day. They don’t gain weight because they burn off the extra calories playing ball and walking. We walk at least twice every day and sometimes 3 times a day on the weekend. The afternoon walk, when I get home from work, is generally a minimum of 30 minutes and includes a run in the school field across the street. So although they love their treats they still have visual waists and the vet is always pleased with their weight. So they will continue to get their biscuits. Life is short and they should be happy dogs. If you see an overweight dog owner, most likely you will see an overweight dog. DAILY EXERCISE IS THE KEY!!
I agree exercise is the key. I try to walk my dogs every day at least an hour or hit tennis balls for 1/2 an hour. I also am careful about what they eat. I feed a high quality meat based food as many dry foods contain corn and fillers that put on the pounds. I add non-fat yogurt and some raw food, veggies and even scrambled eggs for an added treat. Because I compete at Obedience, Rally and eventually Agility treats are part of the training so I have to equate these in as part of their daily food intake. I make low fat treats from liver, gizzards and use fat free cheese. My golden girls are solid muscle with gorgous silky coats and lots of energy.
Exercise is the key, Calorie intake is so insignificant!!! You also have to input calories as well, this low calorie stuff even in humans, has not really been shown to help! Too little is as bad as too much, balance is another key.
to the one who says "if you see an overweight dog owner, chances are the dog is overweight," i am overweight due medical reasons, however, my 2 dogs are at their ideal weight. so dont make a judgemental call like that one. not cool in my book
I give my goldie a can of unsalted green beans a day as it replaces a cup of kibble.
He's happy and has a waistline.
One reason for weight problems in pets is the absolute junk in mainstream grocery store brand foods. Look at the ingredients in your pet's food. Usually, the first ingredient is corn or some sort of by-product. Going for a slightly more expensive food at a non-chain pet specialty store could help control weight and also prevent other health problems like skin allergies, stomach problems and strong odor in your pet. The first ingredient in your pet's food should be a meat or meal and the second should be another meat, a grain, or a fresh fruit or vegetable. Look @ it like this - buying pet food @ a grocery store is like YOU eating potato chips and cookies all day, but buying a higher quality food is like YOU eating a filling steak and a plate of filling vegetables instead. The other up side to a slightly more expensive food is the fact that they don't need to eat as much. In fact, in some cases they only need half on a higher quality food compared to what they were eating out of that junk food bag.
But if you want really great treats, too, look for all natural stuff that's not filled with by-products or fillers. Try bully stick, lamb ears, cow ears (they're healthier than pig ears), dried beef liver, and of course the fresh meat, fruits and vegetables @ home. Just remember, no scraps (unless it's pure like meat and veggies) and definitely avoid bread and processed foods. You will be amazed @ the results!
I absolutely agree that most of the most popular brands are absolute crap, and that includes the higher priced ones. Just once, take a look at the ingredients. You'll see on too many of them the word "by-products." And trust me, you don't want to know what those are, nor do you want the guilt you would feel knowing you were putting those things into your dog's mouth every day.
The best diet is a home-made one. Chicken mixed with brown rice, loads of green veggies and eggs (all cooked, of course) will give you one happy pup! (I puree the veggies to give it a more dog-food like consistency, but that's up to you.) You'll also want to pick up a multi-vitamin from your vet to me sure he/she is getting all of the vitamins and minerals needed.
You don't have to do this every day. I make a big batch once a month, portion it into baggies and freeze it, One comes out every day at dinnertime, and my 60-pound, 14-year-old collie-shep amazes the vet at every visit!
My E.T. Baby Cat who was a 10 year old Rescue Cat that stayed with us for 5 years died in October of 2009. He was diagnosed with asthma just after we adopted him and was on Steroids for 5 years. Shortly after we were told to stop the steroids, by our Vet, He developed Cancer of the brain. We had him seen at 3 different Clinics including Angel Memorial Hospital in Boston. We do not have a lot of money, but we did not want to lose our ET BABY. The doctor there said that he has refused to eat, as did 2 other doctors, so it might be time to put him down.
I reached into my pocket and gave ET some treats and he gobbled them up. He had always eaten at home and loved his treats, some times Animal Doctors do not know how Cats will react in a loving home environment.
They helped him stay with us just a little longer , and I thank the Good Lord For that.
John, I must say your story really touched my heart. I really enjoyed reading it. Just wanted to thank you for sharing it with the internet community!