I ™ve been thinking about exercise and diet a lot lately (see why in the next paragraph.) This Monday I saw 5 dogs in a row that were physically fit, and I found myself truly amazed. At least 70-80% of the pets we see each day are overweight. Those that are not carrying extra pounds are rarely getting enough exercise to be truly fit – in fact, our patients that are not overweight are often sick! This is thought to be a reflection of our society. American is the most overweight country in the world. We love our pets dearly, and part of spoiling them seems to include over-indulgence – to their detriment.

I decided I needed to get into better shape this year, and so have coerced several friends to join me in training for a marathon as a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As a lymphoma survivor myself, I am excited to be raising thousands of dollars for this group. Animal Care Clinic is holding an Open House, Wine Tasting and Silent Auction TOMORROW from 2-6pm. Please come by and support our marathon efforts. We will have displays on nutrition and weight loss, dentistry, surgery, animal cancer and much more – and you can taste wines from some of the favorite central coast vintners. So take a œpaws  in your day to learn a little and support the œcause.  We look forward to meeting you!

by Bonnie Markoff, DVM, ABVP