No Round Pets!

by Malcolm Riordan

The United States has the fattest pets in the world. This continues to emerge as the leading cause of preventable disease and death in dogs and cats.  Yet to even breathe to a pet owner that their pet is overweight, you will hit a wall of disbelief and denial, and - at the same time - an avalanche of excuses. The psychological and social pressure to ignore weight problems is daunting for the veterinarians who dare to intrude. It even seems that much of society looks at trim dogs and cats as if they are being starved.

The denial and excuses offered by owners generally include a misperception about the total amounts their pets eat, passing blame onto others in the household, tales of constant hunger, and a complacent belief in being "fat and happy." The fix is not as difficult as getting owners to accept their pet is actually overweight and to recognize that they created the problem. The equation that food is love needs to be exposed and dismantled. For my efforts, I have been regarded as a bad vet intent on busting up all the fun.

A study done last year showed that 44% of dogs and 57% of cats in the US are overweight or obese. The problem is medically significant; it is not just a style or a look to be achieved. Increasingly it is being realized that fat secretes hormones and inflammatory mediators that increase the risk of other problems. It's more than just being obese; it's the predisposition to arthritis, ligament tears within the knee, diabetes, cancers, heart disease, respiratory problems, kidney disease, decreased activity and heat tolerance.  Likewise, surgery and anesthetic risk is increased. Not only is the quality of life lessened for obese pets, but the problems associated with the condition will shorten the average obese pet's life by two years. Convert that into dog years! Think of this: not only an uncomfortable and less active life, but also a significantly shorter one.  This is what we fail to see with our strenuous denial and excuses.

Reliable indicators for your pet's weight state:                                                                                                   

1)     In a standing position, you should be able to easily feel your pet's ribs, but not see them.                     

2)    Looking down onto your standing pet, there should be an easily discernable waistline between the last ribs and the pelvis.                                                                                                                     

3)   When you rub your standing pet on its back and rump, the spine and pelvic bones should be easily felt  but not seen.                                                     

If fat obscures the ribs, waist or backbone and hip bones, your pet is overweight.

There is nothing magic about the cure, but new perspectives and habits will need to be established. The formula is deviously and frustratingly simple:  More exercise, fewer calories. Period.  If at the end of each day your pet has burned more calories than were consumed, there will be weight loss, guaranteed.

Consider all sources of food: treats, snacks, scores under the table, secret friends in the house or neighborhood, and, of course, what you place in their bowl. Reduce the amount of all sources by 10% to 25%. Be strong.  At the same time, increase the amount of daily exercise.  Make time.

If your cat is knocking things off the dresser or walking on your head at 3 AM in a bid for food, sleep with a spray bottle to help you explain about the longer, happier life.

Diet pet foods that are lower in caloric density—calories per cup—might make things a little easier; but still, one cannot feed unlimited amounts of diet food as an avid eating pet can easily gain weight, even on diet foods, if you do not restrict the volumes offered.

Woods Rafter Cat image on banner by Malcolm Riordan.