The Sedentary Lifestyle In The Pet
Modern life has also affected domestic animals, and reduced physical activity is a dangerous reality for home life. A sedentary lifestyle in pets poses several risks to their physical and mental health.
Next, we invite you to understand what a sedentary lifestyle is and what its effects are on your pet’s organism.
What is sedentary lifestyle?
A sedentary lifestyle is synonymous with an inactive lifestyle, which is basically characterized by the absence of physical activity. Sedentary individuals are those who do little or no exercise and also spend a lot of time sitting or lying down.
Scientific studies are overwhelming: whether adults or children, every day people become more sedentary. Young people no longer want to have fun running, jumping or moving. They prefer video games, series and television shows.
Adults work longer and longer hours sitting in front of a computer or other smart devices.
Our way of commuting daily has also become more sedentary. Cars, trains, taxis, buses, subways… All are practical and fast, but they contribute to an inactive life.
If we think that it is an exercise, for example, going to work by bicycle, we understand that a sedentary lifestyle is implicit in the most modern means of transport.
Our long workdays mean that we spend a lot of time sitting and that we have few opportunities to exercise.
After the working day, the few free moments are usually dedicated to rest and the responsibilities of personal or family life. On the other hand, we are not the only ones who suffer from a sedentary lifestyle.
Animals and sedentary lifestyle: the dangerous modern life of domestic animals
While we face a long workday, our animals go through long hours of solitude and sedentary lifestyle. Currently, most domestic animals do little daily physical exercise.
For most of the day, they are sleeping or overcoming boredom with a toy.
Whoever thinks that a sedentary lifestyle can only affect human beings is wrong. In particular, domestic animals and wild species in captivity also experience in their own bodies the effects of an inactive life.
And the symptoms don’t take long to appear.
Symptoms of a sedentary lifestyle in the pet
One of the first visible signs of an inactive life in animals is weight gain. By not exercising, animals gain weight easily and engage less in their daily activities.
A sedentary lifestyle also favors the loss of muscle mass and reduces body resistance, which makes your body weaker.
In addition, behavioral problems and destructive behaviors are more frequent in sedentary animals.
Inactive pets can show symptoms of anxiety, boredom, and build-up of stress.
In some cases, this also implies increased aggression towards people and other animals.
The risks of a sedentary lifestyle in the pet
Obesity and sedentary lifestyle appear as risk factors for the health of our animals. Many diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease are more frequent in inactive animals.
Also, overweight animals are more likely to develop joint problems.
On the other hand, lack of physical activity often negatively impacts our pets’ mental health.
The accumulation of tension and stress favors the development of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Thus, a sedentary animal will hardly have a healthy social life, and will not have the opportunity to develop their cognitive, emotional and social skills.
Advice to combat sedentary lifestyle in the pet
- Regular physical activity: For dogs, the ideal is to take three walks a day, 30 to 40 minutes each. Animals that do not exercise outdoors must have an environment prepared to remain physically and mentally stimulated.
- Balanced nutrition : All animals need complete and balanced nutrition to remain active, happy and healthy. Therefore, it is essential to have the guidance of a veterinarian to offer the best diet for your animal.
- Preventive medicine: Our animals must have adequate preventive medicine to maintain their health. This should include visits to the veterinarian every six months, in addition to respecting the periodic vaccination and deworming schedule.
- Social life: It is generally easier to provide a positive social life to animals that take regular outdoor walks. However, all animals must have the opportunity to develop their emotional, cognitive and social skills.
