This month Cerberus Organic Dog Food is focussing on the issue of obesity and nutritional health.
Obesity is a nutritional disease where the body is grossly fat (excess body fat or adipose tissue) or overweight. Dogs which are over nourished, over fed, have limited exercise or have tendencies to retain body weight, are at higher risks of becoming obese. Obesity could lead to many complex issues such as diabetes, increased risk of cancer, difficulty breathing, hypothyroidism, cardiovascular issues and or osteoarthritis.
During their research and trials James & Debbie, the founders of Cerberus, realised that many owners were concerned about the weight of their dogs, “People were very open and honest when it came to questions around the right weight for their dog. This was particularly the case when the owner had been rotating from different dog food providers or when they had a unique breed of dog.”
Some of the primary signs and symptoms of obesity are excess body fat, no visible waistline, lack of mobility, lethargy, restricted breathing and inability to exercise. There are many causes of obesity such as; age, injury, physiological and psychological health issues and other underlying health problems.
James picks up the story to explain the nutritional health side of things, “We found that some of the common reasons behind obesity stemmed from imbalances between energy intake and its usage, dogs being overfed, feeding of table scraps, feeding high-calorie food or excessive amounts of treats. The more unique and complex the breed the less guidance there seemed to be in the market, which is something we were really interested in.”
Obesity is typically determined by measuring a dog’s current body weight and comparing it to the average body weight for a dog of the same breed, but this doesn’t help when your dog is unique. If you have any concerns its always a good idea to check with your veterinarian, who will be able to give you a first point of analysis.
James explains further on weight management and specific nutritional ingredients, “The best way to ensure your dog is in good shape is to make sure they are well exercised, read food product guidance, monitor their weight, avoid table leftovers and divide the food into several meals and don’t feed them too late! There are certain ingredients that we analysed to be effective at weight control and regulation and
some of them are:
- CAULIFLOWER (low in calories but high in fiber and water, slows digestion and promotes fullness)
- BLACK RADISH (high dietary fibre content, low in calories)
- CHIA SEEDS (contain high quality protein, reduce appetite and food intake)
- GOJI BERRIES (stress reducer lowers cortisol levels and enables a higher rate of body fat burn)
- FLAXSEED (reduce blood sugar and cholesterol, which have been linked
to obesity)
Our Cerberus meals consider your dog at an individual level and aren’t restricted by generic recipes, so you can modify and shape the diet and weight of your dog, as you see fit. You know your dog better than anyone and by keeping them at a healthy weight you are improving their quality and life expectancy, as well as your own!”
CONTACT
T. 07393 432723
E. info@cerberusdogfood.com
A. 3 Vista Place, Ingworth Road, Poole, BH12 1JY
www.cerberusdogfood.com
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