Evanger's Nutrition Guide for your Beloved Pet

Pet Obesity

All pet parents want our four-legged children to be happy and healthy. Proper nutrition plays the single most significant role in achieving that. Good pet nutrition enhances both quality and quantity of life by helping prevent diet-associated diseases, as well as helping canines and felines respond to disease and injury.

A complete and balanced diet means that your pet is receiving the proper amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber and other key nutrients. It also means that your pet’s diet has no excesses or deficiencies, helping to avoid health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and obesity.

All Evanger’s pet foods are made with 100% USA farm sourced, human-grade, highly palatable and nutritious ingredients that will satisfy even the most finicky eater. With no soy, corn, wheat, artificial ingredients, harmful additives, preservatives or by-products, Evanger’s complete canned dinners, super premium dry kibble, and pure protein supplements can be combined to create an ideal diet for any breed. Natural vitamins and minerals are blended with the all-natural meats for ultimate nutrition in completely balanced meals for all life stages, ages and breeds.

How does your pet’s nutrition measure up? Consider the following factors:

  • The Circle of Nutrition Every cat or dog has unique nutritional needs because of variations in size, breed, age, physical activity and environment. The “Circle of Nutrition” covers factors specific to your pet, its diet and feeding management/environmental factors. By discussing all of the elements on a regular basis with your veterinarian, you can be sure that your pet is eating right for his unique needs. Because Evanger’s offers such a wide variety of high quality pet foods, including canned dinners, dry kibbles, and protein and vegetable supplements, a number of nutritious combinations can be created to meet the unique needs of any breed for all life stages.
  • Body Condition Score (BCS) Obesity is one of the greatest health issues affecting our pets. Ask your veterinarian about evaluating your pets’ body fat with a Body Condition Score (BCS). Ideally, your pet will be well proportioned with its waist observed behind its ribs when viewed from above, palpable ribs with a slight fat covering and minimal fat on its abdomen. When viewed from the side, pets should have an abdominal
  • Feeding Management and Environmental Factors Your pet’s physical activity directly impacts his dietary requirements. Discuss your pet’s activity levels with your veterinarian to determine appropriate feeding regimen. For dogs, consider time and frequency of on leash walks, off-leash playtime in dog parks, and time spent in the backyard. For cats and smaller dogs, consider stimulation provided indoors. If pets spend much of the weekday home alone, what kind of mental and physical stimulation can be added to their day? Food-dispensing toys are ideal for engaging indoor pets. “Bait” these with healthy, low calorie goodies like Evanger’s Nothing But Natural Jerky Treats for dogs (only 6 calories per treat!) or Evanger’s Nothing But Natural Freeze Dried Treats for dogs or cats. Remember to factor in these calories into the total caloric needs of your pet.

Preventing Obesity

Remember that it’s easier to prevent a dog or cat from becoming overweight than to take off the excess weight once it’s there. To help maintain optimum weight, consider the following:

  • Provide Exercise Exercise not only burns calories to help avoid pet obesity, but it also strengthens circulatory and respiratory systems, moves oxygen to tissue cells, maintains muscle tone and joint flexibility, keeps minds active, releases energy and relieves boredom.
  • Choose the Correct Type and Amount of Food Younger pets that are active and growing require more energy, minerals, and protein than older ones, as do pets that are pregnant or nursing. Active pets spending time outdoors in cooler weather also have increased energy needs. Even if they remain active, older pets typically require fewer calories than when they were younger. Evanger’s pet foods are simple to customize specifically for your pet’s specific protein and caloric needs. For older pets, consider Evanger’s Senior and Weight Management Formula, or try replacing some of your pet’s regular meal with Evanger’s Grain-Free Sweet Potato. Both of these options is an excellent way to remove calories while replacing the calories with other nutrient-dense ingredients.
  • Regularly Monitor Your Pet’s Weight It’s difficult to detect small weight gains in domestic pets. By routinely weighing your dog or cat on the same scale at the same time of day, you’ll be able to notice a slight weight change before it becomes a serious problem.
  • Limit or Eliminate Treats and Table Scraps Table scraps and unhealthy treats are often the biggest offenders when it comes to weight control. Know the caloric content of the treats you do dispense. Treats like Evanger’s Nothing But Natural Grain-Free Jerky Treats are only six calories each. They make a healthy and delicious reward for good behavior.
  • Treat Any Contributing Factors or Diseases While weight gain is typically due to overfeeding or limited exercise, certain medical conditions can also contribute to obesity. Many are treatable. If your cat or dog has an unexplained increase in appetite or weight, consult your veterinarian to be sure there is no disease process causing the problem.