The UK dog population is currently around the 7 million mark, spread over 5 million households. It is estimated that 40% of the population is overweight, 15% of which are obese. Obesity is defined as being over 20% above the recommended weight range for the particular breed and gender. To put it simply, nearly 1 million dogs in the UK are clinically obese.
With these figures in mind, you can understand why 'Yarvitan', the new doggy diet pill has hit the UK market with huge interest. Aimed at a nation of overweight and lazy humans, Yarvitan is the ideal solution for those lazy minded 'pet lovers' who have let their pet's weight get out of control.
Yarvitan contains the substance 'mitratapide' which helps to reduce weight in dogs. It's job is to block a particular type of protein in the gut which would normally absorb fats from the dogs diet. Yarvitan also has a slight appetite decreasing effect, meaning your dog should feel less hungry, and the food that it does eat won't put on the pounds!
Yarvitan is used over an 8 week period, having 3 weeks on, 2 weeks off and a further 3 weeks on. Over this 8 week period, the dog should lose approximately 6-7% of its weight. According to the European Medicines Agency, the treatment is an initial measure in an obesity management programme, and must be combined with changes in the diet which must be continued after treatment is finished.
So, this new pill basically means your pet dog has to go through 8 weeks of potential side effects such as diarrhoea and vomiting just to lose 6-7% of its original body weight! All of this weight could be lost by simple daily exercise and a good diet, so is it really worth it? Well, perhaps if the owner is overweight and lazy, then perhaps it is, but in reality, those people should not be keeping pets in the first place.
Yarvitan may be a good starting point for those clinically obese dogs needing to lose weight fast, but nothing can beat a good diet, combined with regular exercise and mental stimulation. Treats should be kept to a minimum, only being offered as a reward and when a treat is offered, it should be healthy and in small doses.
Obese dogs are prone to a number of health problems, such as Arthritis, High Blood Pressure, Poor Liver Function and Diabetes. It is expected that an obese dog will die at least two years earlier than a healthy dog, and the quality of life for both owner and dog if any of these health problems occur is greatly decreased. Imagine having to put nappies on your dog because it simply does not have the strength nor energy to get up and go to the toilet; or it simply cannot control it's bladder properly. Or how about having to inject your dog several times a day with insulin and separating meal times to at least 3 or 4 times daily just to control sugar levels. None of this is fun for the owner, and certainly not fun for your dog.
Pet owners must always remember they are in complete control of their pet's life, and are depended on 24 hours a day, every day for the rest of their lives. Owning a pet is a huge responsibility, and allowing your dog's weight to get out of control is both dangerous and neglectful. Hopefully, by taking time to read this article, any pet owners with overweight pet's will make some changes in their lifestyle, and take a little more time and effort to spend on their beloved animals.
By Chris Jones
Copyright © PetClub UK Ltd. 2007
If you would like to email this article to a friend please
click here to email to a friend
Joint Aid for Dogs 250g
Public price £13.79
Member price £13.26
Flexijoint Powder 300 g
Public price £13.69
Member price £13.59
A & R Blend Cod Liver Oil 500ml
To navigate through the galleries, click on the appropriate animal links below. Do you have pictures you want to share with our community? Well please do! We love to see your pets on our site.
Dog gallery
|
Cat gallery
|
Reptile gallery
|
Small animal gallery
|
Horse gallery
|
Bird gallery
|
Aquarium gallery
|
Pond gallery
|