Sixty-four percent of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. This topic has become a permanent feature on magazines and on television. This alarming figure has terrible effects on both self esteem as well as overall health, and has a tremendous impact on health care in the U.S. What isn’t often mentioned in the media is how this condition is also affecting pets. Recent research has shown that 1 in 4 pets in the U.S. are overweight or obese.

Obesity in pets is just as harmful as it is in people, and can lead to health risks such as arthritis, orthopedic problems, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and respiratory problems, just to name a few.

Although there is no “one size fits all” way to determine if your dog or cat may need to lose a few pounds, a good place to start is the Body Conditioning Score (BCS) system. This system is used to define whether or not your pet is overweight based on a 9 point scale, with a score between 4 and 5 being ideal, and anything higher than 5 is considered overweight. One good rule of thumb we follow is that you should be able to feel your pet’s rib cage and see his waistline. If there is big belly or some love handles present and you can’t feel the ribs, you’ve got a paunchy pooch or a fat cat.

Ways to help get Fluffy or Fido to be a Big Loser, after consulting with your veterinarian, are :

• Minimize treats – make sure to get with others in the house, because if you cut back but others don’t, then your furry friend will quickly know who to go for a fix.

• Increase exercise – makes sense, but some pets really don’t get enough activity. Just an extra half an hour walk a day or playtime with the cat is a proven way to get the weight off. If that doesn’t fit into your schedule, then hire a dog walker.

• Portion control – Use a measuring cup so you know exactly how much you’re giving every day. Take into account that some of today’s foods are more nutritionally dense, so pets need less than they did with “filler foods”. Also, beware of the “recommendations” on the back of bags, as they may say to feed your pet more than you should thereby using more of the manufacturer’s product (kind of like “supersizing” your pet’s meal). For cats, feeding more canned food meals, and not leaving dry food out all day for cats to graze on helps lower their carbohydrate intake and therefore their body fat.

I was inspired to write this article from our staff, who are currently holding their own “Biggest Loser” contest, and between the diets and exercising among them, they are all doing a terrific job! I hope your pet becomes a big loser, too!

Till next time, Dr. Steve, Ashburn Village Animal Hospital, www.ashburnanimals.com

p.s. Studies show that pets that are fit live 1.8 years longer than heavy ones!

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