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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- It is an epidemic hitting Americans and now it is affecting our pets.

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention 54 percent of the nation's pets are overweight. And because of this, some of the same diseases that are affecting humans are affecting our pets too.

“So, we have dogs and cats that have diabetes that have orthopedic and joint problems that have lots of disorders related to their weight,” Lindquist Veterinary Clinic Dr. Catherine Webb said.

“A cat (gaining) 3 pounds is like 45 pounds in a human.”

So, what if your pet has diabetes? Dr. Webb said for some, it is possible to reverse.

“Whether or not diabetes can be reversed depends on what type of animal is affected,” Webb said. “If dogs become diabetic they will likely be diabetic for the rest of their life.

If cats become diabetic, there is a possibility that we can turn it around and bring them out of that condition. The sooner it is diagnosed and the sooner therapy is begun the better the outcome. And, that’s why regular visits with your doctor to check, discuss and do blood work is very important for maintaining good health in our pets.”

Dr. Webb said when it comes to feeding your pet; you should discuss pet food options with your veterinarian.

“If you’re concerned about what type of food to feed your pet, chat with your veterinarian,” Webb said. “All of that depends on if there are other health problems with the pet. Is it overweight already? Are we trying to maintain weight? Is it having problems with its blood sugar or kidneys? So, appropriate diet and dietary management especially preventative care is an important discussion to have with your veterinarian.”

She said regularly giving your pet table food can be really dangerous to their health.

“We get a lot of dogs in with really sore, upset tummies from table food,” Webb said. “If you consider from a veterinarian stand point, I want a dog to receive a healthy diet regularly. And dogs that are fed strictly table food, (it’s less likely) that they are getting all of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that they (need). And, there’s much more of a likelihood that they are receiving inappropriate calorie content of the food that they are eating. That also makes it difficult if they have a medical condition that requires we change their food. They become sort of picky pets and (it) becomes much more difficult to adjust their diet.”

To loose that weight, your pet should exercise, but what if you have a cat that doesn't take walks or jog outside?

“Five to 10 minutes with a laser pointer, or feather with a cat especially a diabetic cat is effective,” Webb said. “Just like with people with type two diabetes they recommend that kind of physical activity to help get the muscles moving. The muscle activity helps to bring down their blood sugar.”

And, just like in humans prevention of obesity is much easier than treating it.