Pet obesity is a growing problem in our pet populations. Although spaying and neutering provides many
health benefits for our dogs and cats, it reduces their caloric requirements by
20-25% as compared to intact pets. This
can lead to weight gain if the diet is not changed accordingly. Neutered pets need fewer calories but they
actually may have bigger appetites because they lack sex hormones which can
serve to suppress appetite. So, your pet
acts hungry and you want to feed them leading to weight gain!
A longitudinal study in Labrador
retrievers on 25% less calories than a control group lived 13.0 years versus
11.2 years for moderately overweight dogs.
This means there is data behind the claim that healthy weight is
associated with longevity. Who doesn’t
want their pet to live as long as possible?!?
There are many disease processes in pets that are associated or
exacerbated by obesity, just like in humans.
A few of the most common are: insulin resistance leading to diabetes
mellitus, osteoarthritis, urinary tract disease in cats, pancreatitis, exercise
and heat intolerance, and decreased immune function. All of these can affect the quality of life
and potentially the longevity of your pet.
To monitor obesity in pets we give them Body Condition Scores (BCS) to
accesses how overweight a patient is. A
BCS takes into account the overall conformation of each pet, sort of like a
body mass index in humans. A “normal score” is a 4/9 which roughly
translates into 15-20% body fat for the pet.
Our goal for healthy weight loss in pets is to lose 1-2% of body weight
per week.
If you think your pet is overweight (or even if you don’t), we would be
happy to see you and your pet to give them a BC score and develop a
personalized weight loss regimen!
