Obesity in pets

According to a range of differing statistics, between 30 – 60% of UK pets are obese. Obesity in pets can be defined as an excess of body fat that can impair health, welfare and overall quality of life. In humans, around 20-25% extra fat above the ideal body weight is enough to classify yourself as obese; this figure in pets is unclear, as it will vary between the individual dog, the breed in question and previous lifestyle. Animal Friends is today looking at how obesity affects your pets, and what you can do to help maintain their standards of living.

Causes and Concerns

Obesity is a serious issue that must be addressed. It is not natural for animals to be overweight; a fat animal cannot protect itself or hunt properly in the wild, so it should not be okay for our pets to become this overweight. Obesity is linked to an excess of fat, created by a large amount of energy in their food that is not then used up via exercise. This is often part of a cycle – the pet eats too much, becomes less able to partake in exercise and continues to eat while reducing the amount of exercise it is capable of doing.

Obesity is a massive health concern in any pet, but it is more commonly found in dogs. Cats are often more mobile and independent, and suffer less from the ‘table treats’ spoiling which dogs tend to be treated to, however a cat, and particularly house cats, that become obese are very difficult to exercise back to normal due in part to their solitary/independent nature. Obesity in itself is dangerous enough for your pet, putting strain on the organs and muscles that have to support a larger mass of animal, but it also makes existing problems worse.

There are a number of serious health concerns linked to obesity, and these include diabetes mellitus, orthopaedic disease, heart disease, respiratory distress, high blood pressure, skin diseases and cancer. A pet may suffer problems when attempting a range of natural problems, such as respiratory problems and heat stroke when exercising.  Obese animals also suffer a reduced resistance to infections, a shorter life expectancy and a weakened immune system, and can also suffer a number of surgical related problems, such as being resistant to anaesthesia, slow wound healing and post-operation infections.

A common factor affecting household pets is being fed titbits and snacks from the table. Animals are not designed to process the chemicals and additives in our food, and although they might enjoy the taste, the food is doing them nothing but harm in the long run. Many people say that, in small doses, any titbit or snack will be fine for your pet, but this is the wrong way to approach the issue. Once you have started, your pet will begin to ‘beg’ or pester you for more each time you have a meal, and if you cannot resist giving your pet a treat once, then it will happen again. By not giving your pet scraps or snacks, you can stop the problem before it starts.

 

Solving the issue

First of all, you have to realise that your pet is overweight. Staggeringly, 76% of pet owners in the UK believe their pet is at a healthy weight and when compared to the earlier figures of how many pets are overweight, we can see the problem – pet owners find it difficult to accept that something is wrong with their pet, especially if the extra weight has come about from giving the pet something it enjoys. Weight your pet and ask your vet what the perfect weight area is, and then begin an exercise regime to help cut back those extra pounds.

To begin such a regime, you will need to consult your vet and have your pet checked for any illnesses of problems that exist. There are many illnesses or conditions that can make your pet appear obese, such as distension of the abdomen due to pregnancy, or fluid retention (often linked to liver or kidney disease, as well as heart problems). Your vet can also weight your pet and advise on how best to reduce your pet’s weight, and also what kind of weight you should be aiming for.

You can make this weight loss an activity for the whole family. You will all have to help in not giving the pet titbits and snacks in order to rigidly stick to the weight loss plan. This will take all of your patience and perseverance, as no doubt the ‘puppy dog’ eyes will be used often – you must resist the cute temptations of a hungry pet, no matter how heart-broken they look after you tell them a firm ‘no!’. Rigid exercise is a brilliant way to start burning excess energy and calories, but is only really practical for dogs.

Cats will require ingenuity and a lot of incentive in order to exercise with you, but there are plenty of ways to try and get them involved, be it chasing a favourite toy, or simply getting the cat to follow you around, teasing them with food (this may seem cruel at first, but if your pet needs the incentive it may well be the best way to get them started on following you around). There are some videos on the internet of cats on treadmills, however this can be cruel and should only ever be allowed on the cats terms; never force your pet to do anything it is not comfortable with.

 

Record your pets progress, stick to the regime and check with your vet to ensure no health problems are occurring, and before long you’ll be able to see the changer in your pet. Once the weight is shed, your pet can be a much livelier, happier pet without the associated health risks of being overweight.

Obesity can cause on-going and painful problems for your pet, which can end up requiring extensive surgery and repeated visits to your vets - avoid high vet bills by covering yourself with pet insurance. Animal Friends Insurance offers a wide range of comprehensive cover, so to get a quote phone us on 0844 55 70 300 or email info@animalfriends.co.uk and ask how we can help your animal friend today.