Pets are getting bigger (or should we say wider?) — and it’s not good news. In 2018, 60% of cats and 56% of dogs in the U.S. were overweight or obese[1]. With the overwhelming amount of information available on types of pet food, diets, and nutrition, it’s no wonder that many pet owners feel unsure about what and how much to feed their dogs and cats. Fortunately, with a little education and some help from your veterinarian, you can keep your pets happy and healthy by preventing overeating and obesity.
Signs You May Be Overfeeding Your Pet
There are some physical indicators you can use to help determine if your pet is overweight. One of the tools veterinarians use is called the Body Condition Score, which assesses your pet’s overall body appearance as an indication of the presence and location of fat. Check out the illustrations (don’t worry about the specific terminology) for dogs and cats from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) to see what is considered ideal.
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Take a bird’s eye view (see links above). Look at your dog or cat from above. They should have an hourglass figure, dipping in just behind the ribs and extending back to the hips.
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From the side (see links above). The area behind the ribs should look lifted.
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Feel around. When you run your hands over the rib cage, you should be able to feel the ribs. If your pet’s waste is wider than their ribs or you can’t feel their ribs, your pet likely needs to lose weight.
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See how they’re getting around. Added weight causes inflammation and stress on the joints. If your pet is having a hard time running and jumping, or it takes more oomph to get up when they’re lying down, they may be carrying extra weight. Getting to a normal weight can also make a big difference for some health conditions like osteoarthritis.
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Consult your veterinarian. Your best resource is your veterinarian. They can tell you if your pet is overweight and to what degree, as well as help you build a diet plan for maintaining or losing weight safely as needed.
The Risks of Overfeeding Your Pet
Just as we see in humans, obesity brings on numerous health issues for pets.
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Decreased longevity. One study revealed that an obese dog’s lifespan is shortened by up to 2 ½ years compared to a dog that is a healthy body weight.[2]
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Inflammation. Inflammation also limits mobility and leads to issues like osteoarthritis in the joints and disc disease (like bulging or herniated discs) in the spine.
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Respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Difficulty breathing, high blood pressure, and increased risk of heart failure are associated with obesity. And any of these make anesthesia for surgical procedures riskier.
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Financial and emotional costs. If our pets are hurting, we’re hurting. And diagnosing and treating the issues caused by excess body weight can leave your wallet hurting as well.