Weight Management and Your Pet

Successful weight loss does not mean having to choose between a happy pet, and a healthy weight.

Is My Pet Overweight?

The ideal body weight for any pet varies dramatically according to breed, sex and age.

Genetics, appetite, activity level, reproductive status, and gender, also influence a pets body condition, and their likelihood to gain weight. The best way to tell if your pet is carrying extra weight is to assess their body shape. Our nurses use a system called "Body Condition Scoring" to determine a healthy weight for your pet. We assess if it is difficult to feel the ribs or spine. We check how defined the waist is, if there is excess skin under the abdomen, and whether the face is rounded.

Replacing Food Rewards

Pet weight loss is often difficult for owners. Many of us use food as treats, and as a way of showing love and affection to our pets. Embarking on a weight loss plan can make us feel like we are depriving our pet of what they love. Here’s the good news….. Successful weight loss does not mean having to choose between a happy pet, and a healthy weight. Pets don’t need treats to know you love them- If you could ask your pet what they love most in the world- their answer wouldn’t be food- It’s would be YOU! Your love and attention is precious to your pets. If we can learn to redirect our expression of love, away from food, we can begin to make positive, healthy changes for our pets.

Feeding your Pet

Our pets don't have the ability to differentiate between healthy and non-healthy foods. They rely on us to feed them correctly. If you feed your pet a lot of treats as well as their normal food, most of the extra calories will turn into fat. Food intended for humans can have a negative effect on our pet’s health. Feeding scraps, such as pieces of meat, can cause your pet to refuse his/her regular food, unless you have put meat in it! It can also cause misbehavior and begging at the dinner table and unbalance his/her nutritional intake. Don't guess the amount of food your pet gets- Always measure the amount. You will need to feed for his/her IDEAL weight, not for their current weight.

Tips for Dogs

Dogs like routine and regular mealtimes. We recommend that you split an adult dog’s daily food into at least two equal-sized meals.

A shorter time between feeds (e.g. 12 hours, not 24) means the dog will be less hungry, and less likely to gobble the food too quickly.  A second meal gives the dog something to look forward to. Dogs often sleep after a meal – ideal if you need to leave them at home.  Dogs on two meals a day usually get fewer treats and titbits. Two small meals are easier for dogs to digest than one large meal. Feeding schedules will vary for every dog, for example, small dogs need to be fed more often – up to four times a day – this can help prevent problems like low blood sugar. Please discuss a suitable routine for your dog with us.

It is very important that weight loss is a gradual process for cats. Losing weight too quickly can cause them to suffer from a condition called Hepatic lipodosis, known as fatty liver. For this reason, we recommend that cats lose no more than 1%of their total body weight per week.

Cats have a tendency to vocalize, as though they were starving! By giving them a treat we are rewarding and reinforcing this behavior. Rather than allowing your cat to have free access to food, Try splitting your cats food intake into 2-4 separate meals.