![]() Did you know? October 7th-13th is World Pet Obesity Week. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 59% of dogs and 61% of cats in the United States are estimated to be overweight or have obesity. Meanwhile, only 17% of dog owners and 28% of cat owners recognize their pets as overweight. This discrepancy is alarming, especially since obesity is entirely preventable once you know it’s there! To learn more about pet obesity, whether or not your pet is in this statistical majority, and what you can do if they are, read on! ![]() Pet Obesity Risks The obvious question many pet owners may ask is… What’s the big deal with pet obesity? Does it really matter if your pup is packing a few extra pounds? Unfortunately, yes. While it is possible for pets to be healthy at different weights, there are well-documented links between obesity and a number of other health conditions. VCA Animal Hospitals reports that dogs with obesity are at higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis, and high blood pressure, and that obesity can reduce a dog’s life expectancy by nearly two years. The science hasn’t been studied quite as in-depth with cats, but we still have every reason to believe the effects are similar. Causes of Obesity What causes obesity? You may already be jumping up to answer: too much food, too little exercise! While these are the major contributing factors, there are other risk factors you may not be aware of. Metabolism is another big component; that is, how quickly and efficiently a pet’s body breaks down the food they’re given. Older dogs, female dogs, and neutered male dogs all tend to have lower metabolisms, which puts them at a higher risk for obesity. Certain breeds are also at a higher risk, such as many terrier breeds, spaniels, dachshunds, beagles, and labrador retrievers. Dogs with mobility issues such as osteoarthritis are also predisposed, since they’re likely to be less active in their day to day lives. ![]() Recognizing Obesity Your veterinarian can always help you assess whether your pet is overweight or has obesity, but there are simple ways to check at home as well. For dogs, you can estimate their body fat by feeling along their ribs just behind their front legs. Compare this to the back of your hand; if they feel about the same, your dog has a good body condition! If it feels more like the palm of your hand, your dog may be overweight. Conversely, if your dog’s ribs feel or stick out like knuckles, they may be underweight. You can perform a similar test with cats by attempting to feel their ribs or backbone. For a more visual representation, you can also compare your pet against the Body Condition System chart, designed by Purina and used widely across the veterinary world. Managing Obesity So you’ve discovered your pet is in the over 50% of pets who have obesity. What do you do next? Losing weight is the first step, and dietary changes are a major component of this. However, reducing the quantity you feed your pet with no other adjustments can lead to nutritional deficiencies. It’s important to consult with your veterinarian when making these changes, as it may be best to add supplements or change your pet’s food to a weight-loss focused diet. Snacks and treats are also a big dietary culprit, and should make up no more than 10% of your pet’s total food intake. This is easier to manage in large dogs, but in especially tiny dogs a single treat can take up that whole allotment! Exercise can be another major component of weight loss, though dogs with severe obesity may need to shed weight through dietary management first before they can safely manage the increased activity necessary for weight loss. To increase activity, increasing the duration and intensity of walks is a good starting point. According to VCA Animal Hospitals, “Walking for weight loss is very different than walking for pleasure. You should aim for a daily, brisk, 30-minute walk. With this sort of walking, you should break into a slight sweat within a few minutes.” Once the desired weight has been lost, maintaining weight becomes the important second step. Portion control is key to this step; as tempting as it may be to reward progress with an extra treat or two, or to ease dietary restrictions once your pet is in a healthy weight range, this can end up undoing all your and your pet’s hard work. ![]() Preventing Obesity An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Even if your pet is at a healthy weight now, there are simple steps you can take to maintain this healthy weight and stop obesity before it starts. Measuring food portions allows better control than simply eyeballing them, and allows you to ensure you’re not unknowingly overfeeding your pet. Adhering to strict, specific meal times will help your pet stick to a routine and will minimize begging, which reduces the temptation for humans to help them cheat on their diet. Routine weigh-ins can also help with accountability, and will allow you to catch any changes in weight early. Get Fit Together! We can all think of a few ways we could be healthier in our own lives, but starting and sticking to a routine is hard. Fortunately, having a buddy makes it easier! A lot of our tips for helping your pet lose weight- regular meal times, vigorous walks, decreased snacking- are good tips for humans as well. Weight-loss walks can be a great chance to work exercise into our own routines, and solidarity with a dieting pet can be just the thing we need to resist cheating on our own diets (you’re not really going to eat that cookie when Luna can’t have one, are you?). A recent study even suggests that combined dog-human weight loss plans are more effective than either plan individually! Of course, as your veterinarian, we want to be a part of your pet’s health journey as well! If you’re worried about your pet’s weight, need advice on exercise or nutrition, or just want a weigh-in, give us a call! We want to see your pet happy and healthy, and we’re always happy to chat. Comments are closed.
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