A Healthier Summer Starts Here
Healthy Weight & Routine Bloodwork: Two Simple Steps for a Longer, Happier Life
When it comes to your pet's health, prevention truly is the best medicine. Two of the most important things you can do to help your pet live a longer, healthier life are maintaining a healthy body weight and staying current with routine wellness bloodwork. Together, these simple steps can help us detect disease earlier, reduce the risk of chronic illness, and keep your furry family member feeling their best.
- More than 50% of dogs and cats in the United States are overweight or obese.
- For every extra pound a 20-pound dog carries, it's like a person carrying roughly 15 extra pounds. Even small amounts of excess weight can put significant strain on your pet's joints and organs.
- Lean pets often live up to 2 years longer than overweight pets.
- Many diseases — including kidney disease, diabetes, liver disease, and thyroid disorders — can be detected through routine bloodwork before your pet shows any signs of illness.
- Pets age much faster than people. One year for your pet can be equivalent to several human years, making annual wellness exams and lab work especially important.
Why Maintaining a Healthy Weight Matters
A few extra pounds may not seem like much, but for pets, they can have a significant impact on overall health and quality of life. Excess weight can increase the risk of:
- Arthritis and joint pain
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Breathing difficulties
- Reduced energy and stamina
- Shortened lifespan
Helping Your Pet Reach a Healthy Weight
Just like people, pets lose weight through a combination of proper nutrition, portion control, and regular exercise. Crash diets are not safe for pets, especially cats, so gradual weight loss under veterinary guidance is always the best approach.
Measure Every Meal — One of the biggest contributors to weight gain is overfeeding.
- Use a standard measuring cup or kitchen scale instead of estimating portions
- Follow your veterinarian's feeding recommendations rather than the maximum amount listed on the food bag
- Avoid free-feeding, as it makes it difficult to monitor how much your pet is eating
Be Smart About Treats — Treats count toward your pet's daily calorie intake.
- Treats should make up no more than 10% of your pet's daily calories
- Break larger treats into smaller pieces — you'll still reward your pet without adding unnecessary calories
- Healthy options for many dogs include baby carrots, green beans, cucumber slices, or apple slices (without seeds). Always introduce new foods in moderation and ask your veterinarian if you're unsure what's appropriate for your pet.
Get Moving — Daily activity is one of the best ways to support weight loss while strengthening muscles and joints.
- Dogs: two or more daily walks, games of fetch, swimming (where appropriate), puzzle feeders or food-dispensing toys
- Cats: interactive wand toys, laser pointer sessions (always end with a toy they can "catch"), climbing trees and cat shelves, food puzzles that encourage movement
Even 15–30 minutes of activity each day can make a meaningful difference.
Consider a Weight Management Diet — If your pet has a significant amount of weight to lose, one of our veterinarians may recommend a therapeutic weight-management diet. These diets are designed to provide complete nutrition while helping pets feel satisfied with fewer calories.
Schedule Regular Weight Checks — Successful weight loss doesn't happen overnight. Regular weigh-ins allow us to track progress, adjust calorie intake if needed, celebrate milestones, and ensure your pet is losing weight safely. Even losing 5–10% of body weight can improve mobility, reduce joint stress, and lower the risk of obesity-related diseases.
Why Do We Recommend Routine Bloodwork?
Many illnesses develop silently. Pets are incredibly good at hiding illness, and by the time they show obvious symptoms, disease may already be advanced. Routine bloodwork allows us to establish a baseline while your pet is healthy and monitor for subtle changes over time.
Bloodwork can help detect:
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Diabetes
- Thyroid disease
- Infection or inflammation
- Anemia
- Electrolyte abnormalities
Finding these conditions early often means simpler treatment options, better outcomes, and improved quality of life.
Senior Pets Need Extra Monitoring
As pets age, annual — or even twice-yearly — bloodwork becomes increasingly valuable. Routine laboratory testing helps us identify age-related changes early, allowing us to begin treatment before your pet becomes sick. Healthy pets deserve checkups, too!
Our Recommendation
Summer is a great time to review your pet's preventive care plan. Wellness exams, parasite prevention, dental care, and emergency preparedness all play an important role in keeping pets healthy throughout the year. If your pet is due for an examination or if you have questions about any aspect of their care, our team is happy to help. Together, we can help your pets stay safe, healthy, and comfortable all summer long.
For any urgent matters, please reach out to the nearest emergency animal hospital.
- Our clinic is currently updating our website — we apologize for any disruptions this may cause.
- Hurricane season has officially begun. We encourage all pet owners to review their emergency plans and ensure their pets have current identification and microchip information.
- Need prescription refills for your emergency kit? Please contact us before a storm is approaching so we can assist you.
Wishing you and your pets lots of fun this Summer!
❤️ Your friends at
Coronado Animal Clinic
(386) 423-9551 · 372 North Causeway, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169
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