What if my pet is overweight?

With the best will in the world sometimes pets get a bit chubby and gradual changes can be difficult to spot. You may find yourself in the situation where someone has noticed the kilos piling on. Obesity leads to joint problems, diabetes, poor skin condition and many other issues in pets so it does need to be tackled and it’s something that lots of owners dread. The great news is that you are in complete control of what your pet eats and does, so you are in the driving seat! Here are some top tips to help you shift those extra kilos.

• Calories in. Just as with humans the biggest cause of weight gain is more calories going in than are being burned. To a pet the smallest treats or excess rations could be the equivalent of you eating a burger extra every day. Don’t just reduce your pet’s ration without talking to a vet. This can lead to underfeeding of protein, vitamins and minerals. It’s much better to switch to a diet designed to help weight loss. They help your pet feel fuller and are balanced for healthy weight loss. Some weight-loss foods change the metabolism of obese and overweight animals back from fat-storing to fat-burning, helping to avoid weight gain in the future.
• Split their ration. Splitting your pet’s daily allowance helps them not to feel hungry for long periods and avoids begging and stealing. Dogs can benefit from four small meals a day and cats can have up to 8 if you can manage it. Cats evolved to eat lots of small meals. Timer feeders are fantastic for helping do this if you are at work.
• Move their food. This may sound silly but for lazy cats even putting several bowls around the house with the ration split between them means they have to at least move a bit to get food. Puzzle feeders are also great for slowing down greedy cats and dogs.
• Calories out. The more you can increase your pet’s exercise within reason the better. This may be difficult if they’re older but talk to your vet about how to help their mobility if it’s an issue. Play and exercise are great for weight loss but also the stimulation is good for your pet and makes your bond and friendship even stronger.

As a vet I’ve seen the massive difference in quality of life that weight loss can make to an animal. As a human I’ve also had to lose weight and seen first hand how much better I felt afterwards. Above all, don’t feel guilty. The benefits your animal will have from losing weight or staying slim will far outweigh the fleeting gratification of a treat.