Fat Pets Got No Reason To Live

Written by Dave Studzinski, DVM

Doctor, Does This Collar Make My Pet Look Fat?

Dogs and cats today are frequently viewed as members of the family. For some, this includes full family privileges such as couch lounging and food from the table at meal time. Most people rationalize that a little bit of our food here or there won't hurt them. While this may be true for some, many pets experience vomiting or diarrhea after eating human food. Those “little bits” frequently add up to gaining a couple of pounds between visits to the vet. Even though gaining a couple pounds doesn't sound like a big deal, as a percentage of the pets body weight it can be significant. For example a 2 lb. weight gain for a 20 lb. dog equates to a 10 lb. gain for a 100 lb. human. Studies have shown that pets maintained at an ideal weight live longer, healthier lives. Part of our job as a veterinarian includes counseling clients on feeding and exercising their pets to maintain an ideal weight.

 

Frequently, a significant gain of weight is seen between 6 and 18 months. We often hear that the weight gain seemed to happen right after the pet was neutered or spayed . While there is a recognized in reduction in caloric requirements of altered animals, this is not usually the real reason for the weight gain. Human nature leads many people to think that a larger dog needs more food. However, this could not be further from the truth. If you observe the feeding guide on a bag of puppy or kitten food you will notice a marked reduction in the volume of food recommended after about 6 to 8 months of age. Why is this? This is because the rapid growth phase is over and although these animals are still growing the rate is much slower. Therefore, their need for calories is lower. It is interesting that the timing of surgery often coincides with the recommended reduction in food volume. If the pet owner is not paying attention to the feeding guide, many continue to feed as if their animal is still growing rapidly. Unfortunately, they do continue to grow, just wider instead if taller and longer.

 

Some pet owners think the pet will only consume what it needs to maintain its ideal weight. Although this would be nice, there is no built in mechanism to control caloric intake. Therefore, pets with food left in the bowl constantly tend to be overweight. This is frequently the mechanism that leads to obesity in indoor cats. These guys do not get the opportunity to climb, stalk or hunt. They spend most of their time finding the most comfortable sleeping spots or moving to lay in the sunbeam. Not big calorie burners. There are rare individuals where free feeding is successful but they are definitely the exception.

 

For some pets there may be medical conditions contributing to their obesity. The most commonly recognized is hypothyroidism in dogs. Usually the amount of thyroid hormone is gradually reduced. This is frequently brought about by an immune system phenomenon known as immune mediated thyroiditis. Affected dogs seem to gain weight in spite of our best efforts to control caloric intake. Frequently, there are other clinical signs including lethargy, poor hair coat, recurring infections and heat seeking. A blood test is necessary to diagnose these patients. Hypothyroidism rarely, if ever, occurs in cats.

 

Once you have decided your pet needs to lose a few pounds, how do you get started? We are frequently asked ,”How much do I feed my dog?” This is question that requires some thought. There are many choices of foods for the pet owner today. Caloric requirements vary widely from pet to pet depending on their metabolism, age and activity. Some individuals are prone to obesity while others are hard to keep weight on their frames. A good place to start is to look at how your pet is currently being fed. This includes everything that passes their lips in an entire days time. Their dog or cat food, treats, table scraps, everything. When we examine feeding recommendations on a bag of food, remember these calculations are for total daily calories. They do not take into account anything extra. I have seen pets who consumed more calories in the form of treats than than they did in their food. We may need to consider changing foods to one that is lower in calories per cup of food.  We will most likely have to reduce the volume of food we feeding on a daily basis. The best way to do this is to use a measuring cup. Measure the amount of food being fed now and decrease that amount by 10 to 20% to get started. Reweigh you pet every month on a reliable scale to monitor their progress. This measurable success renews your motivation to stay the course. If you are not successful, schedule a visit to see your veterinarian to discuss reasons why we may be failing to meet our goals.

 

Long term success requires a management change. Usually some adjustments will be necessary to  maintain your pets optimum weight. The measuring cup will be your key to success. Take a look at your furry friend and decide if a weight loss program may be in their best interest. It will add years of good times to their lives.