Owner told 'stop feeding pet dog scraps'

Monday, 15 February 2010 14:30

Pet insurance policyholders may be aware of the dangers of animal obesity - and one owner has expressed concern over its overweight dog.

Writing into the Ottawa Citizen for assistance, the owner said its nine-year-old Portuguese water dog is still too heavy despite efforts to regulate food intake.

Veterinarian Bernhard Pukay, in response, explained that cutting down on titbits is not good enough - they need to be stopped completely.

In addition, the canine needs to be given more exercise - and professional advice should be sought on getting the pooch to stop eating its own faeces, as this can contribute to a weight problem.

"You are wise to be concerned about your dog's weight," Dr Pukay said. "Reducing your dog's weight is an effective way to ensure a long and healthy life."

In a recent column for the newspaper, he gave some advice on animal ringworm and said treatment is important to effect right away.

Animal Friends are a specialist pet insurance company providing dog insurance and cat insurance to British pet owners since 1999 and we now offer horse insurance too.

Posted by Gemma