As I wish readers a Happy New Year, the obvious topic that comes to mind is
weight loss! It is a scary thought that up to 50% of Britain’s dogs and cats are
overweight. You may be able to offer some advice to your customers although tact
is of the essence here as the suggestion that a dog or cat is overweight can
cause offence. In general, if one can easily feel the boney processes of the
spine and the ribs then the animal is not overweight, whilst if you can see
these parts of the anatomy from 10 paces the animal is probably on the lean side
(though breeds such as Greyhounds will tend to fall into this category
naturally).
So why are our pets overweight? Overfeeding is the biggest culprit, meaning
more calories are consumed which are then stored within the body as fat. The
amount of exercise or activity the pet gets makes a big difference to how much
it weighs. Less activity means a greater risk of becoming overweight. Certain
dog breeds are more likely to put on weight than others – most of us will be
able to picture the fat Labradors we know! In contrast, mixed-breed cats, rather
than pure breed, have a greater tendency to become obese. If a dog or cat has
been castrated or spayed, their metabolism will slow down and therefore they are
more at risk of becoming overweight if their feeding regimen is not adapted.
Puppies that are fat will often grow into fat adults because they have produced
increased numbers of fat cells during growth. A cat’s risk of becoming
overweight increases after it is three years old but then decreases again once
it reaches the age of six years.
Obesity can cause many health implications, most of which are the same as the
ones we know about in humans as reducing life expectancy:
Heart problems
Joint problems
Arthritis
Skin problems
Diabetes mellitus
Decrease in immune function
Intolerance to heat and exercise
To a cat, gaining 1kg is the equivalent of an average human putting on almost
13kg or 2 stone!!! Imagine that and it’s not hard to see why keeping an eye on a
pet’s weight is important.
The basis of any diet, human or animal, is to get the exercise up and the
calorific intake down whilst maintaining satiation of hunger. Owners can work on
these basics at home and the following advice may help. If they want more input,
or previous attempts have been unsuccessful, then their Veterinary Clinic will
be able to help and most of the weight reduction clinics are run by the practice
nurses who may recommend a prescription diet which is high in fibre to reduce
calorie intake whilst still allowing the animal to feel full.
It is advisable to feed 2-3 times during the day. This will, firstly, try and
cut down on the amount of time the pet will be looking for food and, secondly,
the increased amount of time spent digesting food will actually use calories.
Try not to feed last thing at night. DO NOT exercise a dog (especially large
breeds) an hour before or after food as this can cause a Gastric Torsion which
has been the subject of a previous article. Avoid feeding table scraps and
snacks and don’t leave food lying around. Healthy treats include 1-2 pieces of a
weight control veterinary diet, a piece of carrot or apple, or a quarter of a
rice cake. Practise rewarding the dog or with praise and attention rather than
food!
It’s important that the dog is exercised every day, not just at weekends.
Regular exercise will help him lose weight as well as keeping him healthier and
happier. Extra long walks at the weekend can actually do more harm than good,
especially if the dog suffers from arthritis. Walks can be made more demanding
by using obstacles like benches, fallen trees, ditches and logs for the dog to
jump over, crawl under or balance on; or by walking on difference surfaces such
as the beach to increase resistance; or playing fetch or hide-and-seek games.
Swimming, either on walks, or in hydrotherapy pools is excellent exercise.
Cats can be encouraged to exercise using toys to get the cat to get moving or
playing ‘catch the light’ where a white light torch is shone on the walls for
the cat to follow (do not use a red light laser as it can damage the cat’s
eyes). Put the cat’s food in different places each day (including on top of tall
furniture) and bring out the hunter in him! Alternatively, place food into
biscuit dispensing balls so they can have a treat while they play.
And obviously….walking the dog more will lead to better human health too – so
with that said I’m off to the gym!
Mark Maltman BVSc CertSAM CertVC MRCVS
Maltman Cosham Veterinary Clinic, Lyons Farm Estate, Lyons Road, Slinfold
RH13 0QP (Due to open March 2011)
H: 01403 256840
M: 07540 983648