Efrens’ Note:
Zoe passed away on December 9. We had learned not too long ago that the abundance of weight that we struggled to get her to lose was actually a rapid growing cancerous tumor that grew to the size of a grapefruit. On Tuesday Zoey’s tumor ruptured and we had no choice but to put our little girl down to end her suffering. This is an article I wrote last fall when I thought that she was just over weight.
For Pets Sake
For the past few years, I’ve focused mostly on eating the cleanest foods and my fitness. Some weeks I’ve actually logged in as much as 46 hours of exercise. It’s been a continues lifestyle of swimming, cycling, running and weight-lifting. The results paid off at my races with winning or placing in 9 out of every 10 fitness competitions since 2012. But what I’ve gained in medals on the podium, I’ve lost in something much more important.
Somewhere along the line, I got too focused on the need for speed and my own health, that I fell short of practicing a healthy lifestyle with my dog. It’s not that I neglected her, in fact I gave her all the love and food she ever wanted. I should have known better. Just recently my little cocker spaniel weighed in at 39lbs. She’s around 9 lbs over weight. I also found out that she has a heart murmur with a slightly enlarged heart. I guess I’ve always been aware that she was putting on weight, but my wife and I have had to put that weight issue on the back burner for the last year because of her continued ear infections that we’ve been struggling with.
But no more! As of November 1st, I decided to stop competing for awhile and scale back my training to more than half. This enlightened healthy lifestyle will continue for 2015 and I will focus not so much on myself, but more so on the healthy choices through nutrition and fitness for my dog and family. My little dog still has a great deal of health issues and I’m sure that some of those health issues have resulted from her being overweight, but as God as my witness, I will do the best I can to help her loose the weight through my knowledge of nutrition and exercise.
Will I miss competing? Sure, but it’s a sacrifice I’m gladly willing to accept to help save her life. It’s been 10 years since I’ve started this healthy lifestyle journey. I’ve accomplished more than I could have ever imagined; such as swimming across the Sea of Cortez to land’s end and successfully completing “The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon” several times, not to mention winning and placing in a variety of races. I thank God for that and for Him opening my eyes before it was too late for me and my little dog.
My health message to you is: if you have a pet, most likely you see them as a member of your family. For my wife and I; we see them as our children. So just as it is to want to spoil and give your children everything possible to make them happy, including that extra ice scream scoop…Don’t! What’s healthy enough for you is even healthier for them. Be mindful of what and how much you’re eating and feeding your loved ones, including your pets, and make exercise a family affair for pet’s sake.
Pet Fitness Tips
Feed your pet only the recommended daily portion per day.
Walk your dog at least once a day.
Feed your pets a treat, not treats, and only as a reward.
Greenies and Rawhides are low in calories and recommend for good dental hygiene.
Cat toys keep cats moving verses sleeping all day.
Spend 15 minutes a day grooming/petting/loving & inspecting your pets coat.
Speak to your pet birds 15 minutes each day & make sure their cage is clean.
Spay or neuter your pet.
