Take this quick quiz from Hill's Science Diet pet food and get a leg up on protecting your pet's overall health.

Q. 1—Improper feeding can increase your puppy's risk of:
a) Excessively fast growth
b) Growth-related skeletal problems
c) Poor immune response
d) All of the above

Q. 2—If your dog vomits or has diarrhea after eating it could mean he/she has:
a) A food allergy
b) Dehydration
c) Colitis
d) Canine dermatitis

Q. 3—What percentage of Canadian pets suffer from obesity?
a) 5%
b) 15%
c) 25%
d) 35%

Q. 4—Which of the following human health concerns can also affect cats and dogs?
a) Heart disease
b) High blood pressure
c) Diabetes
d) All of the above

Q. 5—True or False: Table scraps are better for your pet than prepared pet food because they are fresh.

Answers:
Q1 = (d) Improper feeding can contribute to obesity and a range of health issues.
Q2 = (a) Allergies aren't fun for anyone, but especially so for your dog who can't tell you what's making him/her so sick. Also consider whether you've just switched your dog or cat's food. If so, it's important to transition him/her onto the new food over time to avoid digestive problems.
Q3 = (d) Thirty-five per cent of Canadian pets suffer from obesity.
Q4 = (d) Poor nutrition can lead to obesity and all of these health issues.
Q5 = False. Table scraps might seem like a treat to your pet, but they could be contributing to a weighty problem. For a 10-lb cat a 1-oz piece of cheddar cheese is the equivalent of three and a half hamburgers to a 150 lb woman.