How fit are Mumbaiâ€™s pet animals?

Experts say that the city is lagging behind when it comes to animal health. They advise pet owners to make time for a proper, disciplined exercise regimen for them...

We all love cuddly pet animals. But have you realised that their body fat may be harming them? Pets in the city are overweight and under-exercised, say vets, and something needs to be done soon. Sangeeta Vengsarkar Shah, veterinary doctor, says, it is unfortunate that a lot of people harbour the notion that the fatter the pet, the healthier it is. "Most owners say they want dogs on the heavier side; it's a harmful mindset," she says. "Dogs don't get enough exercise. We see overweight golden retrievers and labradors that need to lose flab. For daschunds, their legs are short and the spine bears all the weight so they often get spinal problems. Labradors also get hip dysplasia, which which can be very painful and crippling." Here is where exercise comes in. Coupled with the right food, a daily fitness regimen for your pooches is important to their well-being.

Tried 'doga' yet?
The next time you perform breathing exercises and asanas, share the mat with your four-legged pal too. A trend that created a huge buzz — doga (dog yoga), which aims to induce calmness in your pet and provide cardiovascular benefits — has become a huge fad everywhere. There actually are 'upward paw' poses akin to sun salutation and forward bends to try. Owners practice various hatha yoga postures while performing acupressure and massage techniques on their pooch, which aim to alleviate anxiety.

No time? Hire a dogwalker!
While twice a day is the norm for a pet to get exercise, pet parents assume that a walk down the lane and back is enough. It's not. If you are hard-pressed for time, just hire a professional to take care of that. City-based dog walker, Rajesh Sonar, says, "Half an hour of activity each day for your dog is pertinent to his physiological and behavioural growth. Most people think that the toy breeds — cocker spaniels, poodles and pomeranians, don't need to walk much. That's wrong. Every dog has to exercise as this build strength in the legs and increases energy. More so, dogs learn to be social when they are out; they see people, hear cars honking and recognise the different noises. Otherwise, if you let go of their leash by chance and they are not used to cars and people they may go berserk with shock."