Prairie Ridge Veterinary Clinic

January is here, and with it the usual round of health-related New Year’s Resolutions. While we are taking the time to reflect on where we may have neglected our own health and wellness, why not ask ourselves where we might improve these areas of our pet’s lives as well?

Seasonal pet weight gain is a fact of life for most animals who live in a seasonal climate, whether that’s trying to prevent the weight from creeping on or struggling to lose it after the fact. Keeping our pets fit and healthy over the frigid Midwestern winter can be a challenge, but one worth fighting for. Continue…

Although the topic of pet diabetes is not particularly fun, it is important. Since November is National Diabetes Month, we want to raise awareness and focus on prevention of this all-too-common disease.

While diabetes can take a heavy toll on a pet’s health, it’s important to understand that type II diabetes is actually preventable. For pets who have already been diagnosed, it may be comforting to know they can still lead relatively normal, healthy lives with the correct treatment plan. Continue…

Obesity is a serious problem in this country, and our pets have not gone unaffected. In fact more than half the nation’s pets are obese or overweight. Pet Obesity is one of the top health problems we see, and there is nothing cute about it.

Why an Obese Pet is Not Healthy

While the media is littered with funny pictures and videos of overweight dogs and cats, having an obese pet is not a good thing. Pets who are overweight live much shorter lives and are prone to developing many diseases and complications including:

• Osteoarthritis
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Respiratory problems
• Many types of cancer

How to Tell if Your Pet is Obese

With overweight pets being the norm, it can be difficult to tell if your pet needs to lose weight. While we are always happy to counsel you on a healthy weight for your pet, you should be able to easily determine at home if your pet is at the correct weight. Continue…