Healthy eating and exercise is just as important for your pets as it is for you! Did you know an estimated 54% of dogs and cats in the United States are overweight or obese?* October 8 is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day raising awareness on pet weight issues.
How can you tell if your pet is overweight? There are many tools online that show specific breeds and their ideal weight and appearance. The general rule is you should be able to feel your pet’s ribs but not see them. If you place your hands on the sides of their chest and still cannot see them, they are overweight. What are tips for keeping your pet’s weight in check?
- Talk to your vet. Your veterinarian is the best resource for helping you create a plan to control, monitor and improve your pet’s weight. They can provide you the best advice to lose weight in a healthy way.
- Control the calories. Not all food is the same. If available, check nutrition labels for high quality ingredients instead of fillers. Limit the number of treats and avoid giving table scraps. When giving treats, look for healthy alternatives like carrots or broccoli.
- Stay consistent. Put a measuring cup in your food bag for consistency in feeding amounts. Assign family members to each meal so pets are not accidentally overfed and track the amount of treats given. Consider using an automatic feeder, which ensures your pet is fed on the same schedule every day.
- Get out and play! Exercise is great for you and your pet. For older or disabled animals, a short walk around the block may be appropriate. For younger and more active animals, a swim, running around the park or chasing a laser may be best to keep your pet healthy.
Obesity in a pet can have the same adverse effects as obesity in humans. Common disorders associated with excess weight include Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and many forms of cancer. So celebrate National Pet Obesity Awareness Day by making a commitment to the health of both you and your pet! * http://www.petobesityprevention.org/
Leading animal welfare charity to spotlight pet obesity at BVNA Congress Fringe
University of Liverpool professor Alex German and veterinary nurse Josephine Oakden will be debating ways to understand and tackle the pet obesity crisis in a BVNA Congress Fringe session chaired by the Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) on 12 October, the day after World Obesity Day.
‘The elephant in the consult room- we are failing obese pets’ will discuss varying approaches to understanding pet obesity and collaboratively explore ways in which the veterinary professions can tackle the issue.
While Dr German, a Professor of Small Animal Medicine at the University of Liverpool, will argue for obesity to be understood and treated as a disease, British Veterinary Nursing Association Council Member Ms Oakden will explore obesity as a symptom of malnutrition. AWF Trustees Julian Kupfer and Rebecca Schofield will facilitate the discussion.
AWF Chair of Trustees Chris Laurence said:
“The AWF session at BVNA Fringe promises lots of interesting and stimulating conversations, so I’d like to invite all those attending BVNA Congress to drop in.
“Recent research funded by AWF and surveys of the veterinary professions have identified obesity as one of the biggest health and welfare concerns facing our nation’s pets. Through this session, we want to not only challenge delegates’ own opinions on the subject, but also to share potential actions that can be employed in practice, including how to have supportive and non-stigmatising conversations about pet obesity with clients.”
In BVA and BVNA’s recent Voice of the Veterinary Profession surveys, published in the 2018 PAW Report, vets and vet nurses estimated that 46% of the dogs, 34% of cats and 30% of rabbits they see in their practice each week are overweight or obese, with a significant proportion citing an increase over the previous two years. They also estimated that around half (47%) of the overweight and obese dogs, 35% of cats and 36% of rabbits they see in their practice have health issues which could be related to their weight.
A more recent report by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association found that almost 7 in 10 (68%) pet owners think their pet is exactly the right size, while 100% of vets are concerned about the prevalence of obesity.
BVNA Congress will take place from 11-13 October at Telford International Centre, Shropshire. AWF’s session on pet obesity is scheduled from 2pm-3.30pm on 12 October in Beckbury Suite and is open to all Congress delegates.
Sources
BVA UK https://www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/newsroom/news-releases/leading-animal-welfare-charity-to-spotlight-pet-obesity-at-bvna-congress-fringe/
