Community Challenge issued by VCA Highlands Animal Hospital

NOT FOUND: pet obesity.jpgOver half of the nation’s dogs and cats are now considered overweight, costing pets years of their life span and owners millions in pet care. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, out of the 77.5 million dogs in the U.S., an astonishing 35 million of these dogs are considered overweight and 6.7 million are considered clinically obese. Cats are also affected by this plight with 22 percent of our 93.6 million feline companions being declared obese.

So what does this all mean? It means our overweight pets are living shorter lives, two years less on average, than their healthy counterparts. It also means that our pets are at an increased risk of serious medical conditions such as type-2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart disease,and even high blood pressure.

So what can or should you do? If you are having trouble determining if your pet is in fact overweight, you can assess your furry friend with three simple steps:

  1. Run your palms along the upper sides of your pet. You should feel their ribs easily without having to press down. The best place to feel is the last 2-3 ribs near the upper back. The harder you have to press down to feel the ribs, the more fat there is.
  2. Look at your pet from the side. If your pet is at a good weight, he or she will have a tucked abdomen, with no sagging stomach.
  3. Look at him/her from above. The pet should have some appearance of a waist that is narrowest right in front of the hips.

Still can’t decide? Call your veterinary office. They can and will gladly help determine if your pet is at a healthy weight.

If you feel your pet is overweight, what should you do next? Set up an appointment with your veterinarian to assess your pet’s overall health. A diet or weight loss plan should always be done in partnership with your veterinarian. Several medical conditions such as hypothyroidism or hyperadrenocorticism, commonly referred to as Cushing’s disease, could be causing your pet’s excess weight. The veterinarian will want to rule out these types of diseases before putting your pet on a diet. Diet and exercise will not be successful if there is an underlying medical condition causing the weight problem. Other things for your veterinarian to assess for is the presence of osteoarthritis. If osteoarthritis is present, a change in diet along with addition of pain medications can help improve your pet’s quality of life and their ability to exercise, which will enhance your pet’s weight loosing ability.

Once your pet has been assessed by a veterinarian, a weight loss program can begin. Your pet’s veterinary team will be able to help determine a realistic weight goal and time line for the weight loss. They can help guide you through determining how much and what kind of food is right for your pet. They will also give you tips on making this a successful, healthy and maybe even fun process.

Programs like “Jenny Craig” or “Weight Watchers” work due to preplanned and proportioned meals that take the guess work out of meal planning. There is now a “Therapeutic Weight Reduction Program” available through Hill’s Prescription Diets that may be available at your veterinary hospital. This kit includes pre-measured, portioned meals and even treats for you to provide the correct amount of nutrition and calories to your pet. Your veterinarian can help determine the amount that is appropriate for your specific pet. Why count calories when you don’t have to? Learn more at PetFit.com

Need extra support? There are also websites, like theobesedog.com, that offer support during those rough moments – like how to gently tell “Brutus” the Boston Terrier that you just tossed all his biscuits into the garbage can, and maybe he would like a nice, yummy carrot instead.

There are also drugs your veterinarian may recommend if diet and exercise are not doing the trick. One of the newer drugs on the market for weight loss for dogs only is Slentrol, which is manufactured by Pfizer. This requires weekly visits to your veterinarian for them to tailor the dose of the drug as your dog begins to loose weight. This drug is not licensed to be used in cats or people.

VCA Highlands Animal Hospital is organizing a “Furry Friends Fitness Club” weight loss challenge to encourage our overweight patients to lose weight and become healthier. Any cat or dog that has been cleared by a veterinarian to participate in a weight loss program is eligible to enroll. The only requirement is to come in for a weight loss appointment with a veterinarian. The dog or cat with the biggest total percentage of weight loss will be declared our winner. Prizes will be awarded.

If your dog or cat is overweight and you would like to get advice on starting a weight loss program, please call VCA Highlands Animal Hospital at 916-332-2845 to schedule a consultation today.