Childhood obesity is an epidemic in this country. Our pets aren’t far behind. In fact, a 2005 study from Purina found that 60 percent of America’s pets are overweight.
Dog owners spent nearly $300 on food and treats last year, and cat owners spent more than $200, according to the 2007 American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.
Don’t let your pet become another statistic. Obesity is a top health concern for veterinarians—excessive weight causes the same problems in pets as it does in humans.
A fast-food cheeseburger might be lunch for you, but for some small dogs, it’s the equivalent of five day’s worth of calories. Dog or cat food should satisfy all of your pet’s dietary needs—without pouring on gravy or adding table scraps. Portion control is also important to maintain.
Here are the calorie counts for the most common treats and a list of low calorie healthy treats for your pets.
TREAT/ SIZE/ CALORIES
Lean Beef/ one ounce/ 64
Beggin' Strips/ one strip/ 34
Bonz/ one medium/ 67
Bonz/ one large/ 89
Cheese/ one ounce/ 106
Chicken, skinless/ one ounce/ 52
Egg/ one large/ 81
French Fry/ one fry/ 20
Hot Dog/ two ounces/ 170
Ice Cream/ 1/4 cup/ 66
Ice Milk/ 1/4 cup/ 50
Liver/ one ounce/ 46
Milk 2%/ 1/2 cup/ 72
Milkbone, Small/ one bone/ 20
Milkbone, Medium/ one bone/ 40
Milkbone, Large/ one bone/ 115
Milkbone, XL/ one bone/ 225
Milkbone Gravy, S/M/ one bone/ 35
Milkbone Gravy, LG/ one bone/ 80
Peanut Butter/ one TBSP/ 82
Tuna, in oil/ one ounce/ 56
Tuna, in water/ one ounce/ 36
Whisker Lickins/ six pieces/ 18
RECOMMENDED TREATS
Apple/ 1/4 medium/ 20
Baby Carrots/ four carrots/ 24
CET Chews,Petite/ one chew/ 50
CET Chews, Large/ one chew/ 64
CET Chews, XL/ one chew/ 122
CET Feline Chews/ one chew/ 15
Green Beans/ one ounce/ 18
Greenies, Teenie/ one chew/ 25
Greenies, Petite/ one chew/ 54
Greenies, Regular/ one chew/ 90
Greenies, Large/ one chew/ 144
Greenies, Jumbo/ one chew/ 270
Greenies, Feline/ six pieces/ 11
Hill's T/D, Feline/ six pieces/ 10
Hill's T/D, Large/ two pieces/ 36
Hill's T/D, Small/ three pieces/ 26
Hill's Rx Treats/ one biscuit/ 15
Royal K9 Biscuits/ one biscuit/ 15
