Charlotte is a 6 year old female spayed Shepherd mix that first came to Hawthorne Hills Veterinary Hospital back in September of 2023. She happily walked into the exam room and was very excited and wiggly for her first visit with us. We gave her a thorough physical exam and found a couple small things to note on our charts: a small scratch mark on one of her ears, a small dermal mass on the right side of her chest that wasn’t bothering her, some mild dental tartar; nothing too out of the ordinary for a young shepherd dog.
There was one thing on her exam that definitely stood out from the others: her weight. She weighed almost 100lbs! A dog or cat’s body condition score (BCS) is scored on a scale from either 1-5 or 1-9 (depending on the clinic) where 1 is severely emaciated and either 5 or 9 is obese. At Hawthorne Hills Veterinary Hospital, we use the 1-9 scale and we want our pets to be around a 4-5 on that scale to be the healthiest they can be. Based on what we saw during the exam, Charlotte was a 9/9. She was very overweight for her age and breed, and this was something we definitely needed to address.
There are a variety of factors that can influence the weight of our 4-legged friends.
The main ones that we think about are diet, exercise, and age, and it is true that those do play a large part in weight. But did you know that factors like genetics, spay/neuter status, and medical conditions can also play a role in managing the weight of many cats and dogs? There are even certain medications prescribed to animals with a side effect that can contribute to weight gain.
With all these factors at play, it’s no wonder that so many animals are overweight in our world today. According to a study done by Purina, it is estimated that 63% of pet cats and 59% of pet dogs are either overweight or obese in the world. What’s even worse is that many pet owners either don’t believe that their animal is overweight, or do not feel it is a major problem or concern. Being overweight carries many health risks associated with it:
- Increased risk of developing certain metabolic & blood work abnormalities (diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease)
- Higher chance of having various orthopedic issues (back problems, cruciate ligament tear/rupture, arthritis) and experiencing the pain associated with them
- Can cause breathing problems and increases the risk of anesthetic complications
- Overweight animals tend to have a shorter life expectancy than their healthy-weighted counterparts
- Can impair an animal’s overall quality of life (mobility, energy levels, ability to perform normal natural behaviors, etc.)
If your pet is overweight, you may be wondering, “Well what do I do now? What is the first step?” The first step is realizing that, just like for people, weight loss journeys will never look the same for any two individual pets. What works for some may not work for your pet’s specific needs. That is why it is so important to partner directly with your veterinarian, and to work together to get a plan in motion that works for all parties involved.
Usually one of the first topics discussed is the actual diet itself. In simplest terms, how many total calories is your pet getting and are they well-balanced nutritional calories or “junk food” calories. While treats can still be a small part of a healthy diet, we recommend less than 10% of your pet’s daily caloric needs come from treats. This may seem difficult to implement when they give you the “sad puppy-dog eyes”, but it is important to remember that food isn’t love. Whether it be a walk, a quick play session, head scratches, belly rubs, a new toy, or whatever else your pet loves to do, there are other ways to show your pet you love them besides giving them treats.
The whole goal of these weight loss programs is to set goals for your pet, and make sure everyone involved can stick to it. Also be diligent in making sure everyone in the family is on the same page with the plan: it does no good for you to be sticking strictly to the plan if someone else in the house is sneaking Fido or Fifi extra treats any chance they get. Lastly, make sure the goals and timeline are realistic, and be sure to monitor and record progress that is made. It is always easier for animals (and people) to put on weight than it is to lose it. Slow progress is still progress, and there may be times when there are missteps in the journey. It’s okay, as long as we can realign back on the right path and keep progressing.
And these guidelines are exactly what we recommended for Charlotte. We sat down with the owner and calculated out Charlotte’s calorie requirements and did the math for the nutrition side of the plan, and advocated for ways to get her more active each day. However, we as veterinarians can only draft up the plan. It is up to the owner and their family to execute, and make adjustments as needed, and in this case Charlotte’s family did fantastic with the plan!
They would take her on a two-mile run/walk through a park nearby 4-6 times a week, and were very strict about measuring out her food at meal times (always remember to use a designated measuring cup and to not do big, heaping “rounded” scoops). It was a long process, but Charlotte recently came back in for a check-up exam and she has dropped down to 78lbs!
The owner even reported that all the walking and exercise they do has helped them lose 8lbs themselves, and that they kept each other accountable through the weight loss journey. Even though she may still have a few more pounds to go until she is a 5/9, she (and her whole family) have made incredible strides and put in the work to get her to where she is today. We are so proud of all of them, and I am happy to report that she is still as happy, excited, and wiggly as when she first came into our exam room back in 2023.
~ by Dr. Andy Pietraniec ~
