Fat Isn't Funny: Obesity in Dogs and Cats
· Updated
Original article by Dr. Joe Inglis, BVSc, MRCVS*.
Edited for blog publication by Kelly Gredner, RVT, VTS (Nutrition)
For many people, a fat pet is a funny pet — just look at the rise of hashtags such as #chubbydogs on TikTok, which have been viewed more than 390 million times, and the endless pictures of fat pets popping up on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit.
But the reality for these pets is far from funny — just as for people, being overweight or obese brings with it a range of health issues which can be life-changing and even life-threatening. The main health issues associated with excess weight in pets are similar to those found in overweight people:
...and these conditions can lead to serious long-term problems and a reduction in life expectancy.
It's clear that we should be taking obesity a lot more seriously if we really want to prioritize the long term health and well-being of our pets. And however innocuous it may seem to watch a few #chonkydogs videos, or share amusing pictures of grossly obese cats, it all helps to normalize and trivialize what is a very serious health situation.
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The most important thing to do is to make sure your pets are a healthy weight. This can be harder than it sounds. Even just recognizing that your pet is overweight can be difficult as many owners see their beloved cat or dog through rose-tinted spectacles, and can be in a state of denial about their weight. Rather than using scales, the best way to be objective about your pet's weight is to use a technique called body condition scoring.
Body condition scoring is where you assess your pet's body condition against a scale, usually from 1 to 9 with one being extreme emaciation and nine being grossly obese. To work out your pets condition, first take a look at them from the side and the top. For an ideal condition score of five out of nine, you should be able to clearly see the outline of their rib cage and pelvis, and, from above, a distinct waist between the ribs and hind legs.
Then, run your hands over their ribs. If you can't easily feel their ribs, body their condition score is likely to be greater than a six out of nine, but if they're very prominent with little covering, they could be an underweight (one or two out of nine). There are lots of online guides to help you assess your cat or dog in this way.
If your pet has a body condition score greater than six out of nine, indicating that they are overweight or obese, it's time to take action - which means more exercise, and fewer calories in their diet. At Tom&Sawyer, we have 10 Top Tips to help with safe weight loss for your pup. These include greater physical activity and an appropriate diet!
Increasing activity should be undertaken gradually, and with care so as not to exasperate any joints or mobility issues. It could be possible to help your pet burn off some of their excess weight over a few months of increased activity.
It's also important to look at their total daily calorie intake and make sure this is at the right level to support their ideal body weight. Reducing treats and accounting for them in their total daily calorie intake can help. If your dog or cat is very overweight, it's important to discuss safe weight loss with your veterinarian.
Helping your pet in this way is well worth the effort - for both your sakes. If you can keep your pet in shape, you'll generate so much more happiness and humour in your active life together than any number of #chonkydog videos could.
*Originally published in Cotswold Life, this article by Dr. Joe Inglis, a UK-based Veterinarian and expert in animal nutrition, has been republished here, with minor edits, with the author’s express permission.