October is Pet Obesity Awareness Month, and at Rayne, we understand that keeping your pet healthy has to come down to science.

Healthy nutrition is unique to every pet. Individual nutritional needs ebb and flow throughout a pet’s lifetime, but one thing remains consistent: a healthy pet is a happy pet.

Supporting pet health can mean understanding how feeding habits, veterinary care, environmental enrichment, activity and body condition work in tandem. Sometimes, small daily changes throughout your dog or cat's routine can truly make a difference in creating a long, healthy life. This month gives us all the opportunity to take a closer look at what healthy weight and weight loss means for our pets and how nutrition can play a role in supporting it.

SHOULD I JUST FEED LESS?

After identifying that a pet is overweight, pet parents may choose to simply feed less of their dog or cat’s typical diet. This method of feeding less food might lead to weight loss, but doesn’t mean it’s healthy weight loss. Restricting calories alone results in eating less protein and micronutrients that can negatively impact pets in the long run. This may include the loss of lean body mass and nutrient deficiencies over time. Healthy weight loss not only sheds pounds, but also supports the maintenance of lean muscle mass,helps prevent disease and improves quality of life. The solution is to find an individualized diet dedicated to healthy weight loss so that key nutritional benefits remain while excess weight is shed.

HOW TO BETTER SUPPORT YOUR PET'S WEIGHT

• Understand your pets lean body condition score: Being overweight increases the risk of developing diabetes, osteoarthritis, exercise intolerance and other health issues. Understanding your pet’s body score can guide you on how much to feed your pet and lead you to improving their quality of life.
• Keep regular vet appointments: Staying up to date on your pet’s veterinary appointments allows you to keep track of your pet’s weight, to learn about any changes in your pet's health that would be affected by weight, understand any predispositions they may have and ask questions if you notice changes in your pet's behavior or size. Your veterinarian can help you determine your pet’s ideal body weight and provide recommendations on proper nutrition and exercise.
• Review your pet’s routine: How many treats do you give a day? Are you throwing in an extra scoop of kibble at dinner time? What does your pet’s exercise routine look like? Take a deeper look at what habits impact your pets lifestyle. With guidance from your veterinarian you may find a few simple, achievable changes that will support a healthier routine. 
• Get familiar with what goes in their bowl: Take time to educate yourself on food you feed your pets. Your veterinarian is the best resource to help you understand the importance of the ingredients in the food and determine the nutritional profile that is best suited for your pet’s unique nutritional needs.
• Environmental Enrichment for cats: Adding additional food and water bowls to your cats’ play area, providing climbing towers and window perches as well as more toys and grooming supplies during a period of healthy weight loss can increase activity, give pet parents more ownership in your pet’s health journey and support overall healthy weight loss.
• Customized exercise program for dogs: Different bonding activities such as walking, or swimming are great ways to shed pounds, increase muscle mass and have fun with your dog. However, each exercise program needs to be customized to ensure that it is suitable for an individual pet. Your veterinarian can help guide you to an appropriate program. 

HOW RAYNE DIETS CAN SUPPORT YOUR PET’S HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS

Healthy weight loss is more than a number on a scale. It’s reducing excess body fat, building muscle mass, preventing disease, giving pets an improved quality of life and bonding with your pet. We take pride in what we call the ‘Rayne difference’. Our commitment to science-backed nutrition means we never compromise on our core standards of clinical efficacy, ingredient quality, or palatability. By prioritizing real, whole-food ingredients, we ensure pets get the essential nutrients they need in a delicious meal they love.  To put it in the simplest terms, we make food that loves your pet back (the Rayne difference).

LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO START WITH YOUR RAYNE DIET? 

Apple Pumpkin biscuits are the perfect seasonal treat--both for fall and for pet obesity awareness month--super palatable, low calorie, easy to break into pieces to accommodate different caloric needs, and of course, sure to make tails wag.