Weight Management
BoosterPet’s veterinarian Dr. Kobi Johnson, answers your questions on weight management, to help your pets live their happiest, healthiest lives!
Q. Why is weight management so important? What are the risks of an overweight pet?
Achieving and maintaining an appropriate weight for your pet is one of the best ways of safeguarding their health and well-being. An overweight pet is prone to joint and musculoskeletal pain and mobility issues, metabolic conditions such as thyroid disease or diabetes, skin rashes and difficulty grooming themselves, and difficulty breathing and sleeping.
An overweight pet is unlikely to enjoy proper exercise, an important component to their physical and mental well-being. Carrying around excess weight can put undue strain on the heart, liver and joints. An overweight pet may indicate underlying illness and/or an inappropriate diet and is therefore an important characteristic to recognize and correct.
Q. How do I tell my pet’s body weight condition?
Admittedly, it can be a little tricky given all the differing sizes, shapes, and haircoats of dogs and cats out there. Generally, for both cats and dogs, an ideal body weight is depicted by ribs that are not visible but are palpated easily, a marked waist or indentation just in front of the hips, and a noticeable tuck in the abdomen where it meets the hind limbs. Anything outside of this may indicate a less than ideal body condition. We’ll weigh and rate your pet’s body condition every time we do an exam, to help you monitor your pet’s weight and recognize gaining trends and changes over time.
BoosterPet rates your pet’s body condition score on a scale of one to nine, as depicted in these charts from the Global Nutrition Committee of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA):
Q. What are your recommendations for achieving weight loss?
In healthy adult pets with no underlying health conditions, we recommend the following steps:
Start by visiting a veterinarian to determine your pet’s current weight, body condition, and goal weight. They may have specific recommendations in addition to the below.
Next, immediately cut out all human food, if applicable. Providing human food is one of the leading causes of obesity in pets, and can lead to other health problems such as pancreatitis and decreased liver function.
It’s also a good idea to cut out all dog or cat treats at this stage; you can still “treat them” by placing part of their daily allocation of food in a treat jar or bag. Treat them with their “normal” food from the “treat” container. If you make it seem like a treat, they will believe you!
If your pet is currently free-fed and allowed to graze all day, transition them to two regularly-scheduled meals per day.
Determine how much food (in cups) your pet has been consuming, then reduce this by 25% daily. For example, if your pet currently eats two cups per day, move to feeding 1.5 cups per day, split into two meals.
Increase exercise any way you can; get creative! Cats love to hunt and chase, and a new toy or laser pointer can encourage that. Try providing more opportunities to climb. For dogs, consider dropping them off one day a week at daycare or hiring a dog walker to get them more exercise.
Weigh your pet weekly, if possible, to monitor progress. Most vet hospitals would be very happy to see your pet for a simple weight check.
Work with your veterinarian to closely monitor your pet’s weight loss progress; they can help you determine how to proceed safely, and help you troubleshoot if you’re not seeing progress.
Your pet is bound to notice the reduced food intake; keep them busy and make meal times last longer with bowls and toys that act as puzzles. This will allow them to eat more slowly, feel full faster, and get some energy out.
Q. We have been trying so hard to achieve weight loss with no results – what can you recommend?
Your pet may have an underlying illness that is making weight loss difficult, such as thyroid disease, diabetes, or Cushing’s disease. Laboratory tests are usually required for diagnosis and if medications are available, they may help with weight loss. Once an underlying illness is ruled out or diagnosed and under management, there are many other things you can try. Don’t get discouraged! There are a lot of tools at our disposal – keep reading for some great food and toy recommendations.
Q. Is there such a thing as diet food for pets?
There are diets on the market – both over-the-counter and prescription – that aim to ease weight loss through a shift in nutrients, such as increased fiber or protein content. Other manufacturers have created hollow kibble, to given the illusion of more food but with less calories. Some foods are developed with nutrients thought to improve your pet’s metabolism, and others aim to easy joint pain, making movement – and therefore weight loss – easier. These may be a good option if your pet has struggled to lose weight with simpler calorie-reduction methods.
Q. Giving treats are really important to us. What are the safest treats for an overweight pet?
For dogs, we recommend no-salt vegetables such as small bites of fresh (not canned) green beans and carrots. You can also try a “broccoli bone”, which involves the stem of a broccoli floret that they can chew on. Gradually reducing their treat allowance and adding in these veggies reduces calories while allowing your pet to feel treated and satiated. It’s like salad: low calories and healthy with lots of vitamins and fiber.
While fruit is generally considered healthy and some fruit is safe to give to pets, we don’t recommend giving it to pets in need of weight loss due to the high sugar content.
Q. My pet will only eat if I supplement with human or tasty food - how can I avoid this?
We hear this a lot. The truth is, pets can learn to hold out for something tastier than what they are being offered. It may take some experimentation to find a diet with an appropriate nutrient profile that is also appealing to your pet. If you have a truly picky eater, there may be an underlying illness that is causing a change or lack in appetite. Once that is ruled out, picky eaters can be enticed to eat through the following tips and tricks:
For cats, warming up wet food and moistening dry food with warm water can make it more appetizing.
For both cats and dogs, experiment with both dry and wet food to see which is most appealing; sometimes a mix of the two is what works best. Many food brands make a dry and wet version of certain formulations of their food and we recommend staying within the same formulation as much as possible for a consistent nutrient profile.
For dogs, consider pretending like their food is coming from the same place as your food. For example, place their bowl in the microwave (without turning it on) for a few seconds before serving them, or “stir” their food on the stove prior to meals. The perception that they are getting human food can work really well to entice them to eat!
Q. In terms of weight loss, do you recommend dry food versus wet food?
Wet food has more water content, and is therefore great for weight loss. If this is an option for your pet and you household, then go for it! If not, there are many great dry foods out there that boast excellent nutrition. Remember, it’s always an option to moisten dry food with water. It will expand a little and therefore be more filling!
For cats, we almost universally recommend wet food due to their primarily carnivorous nature. Weight loss in cats tends to be more difficult than dogs; feeding wet food will increase water content and decrease carbohydrate consumption, which will be helpful!
Q. Should puppies and kittens have some extra padding when they are young?
When young, most of an animal’s nutrition goes to developing and strengthening their musculoskeletal system and they therefore may appear lean during the first eight to ten months of age. That is ideal! We like lean puppies and kittens; there is no benefit later in life to having excess fat during the growing phase. If your new furry friend is consistently gaining weight while maintaining a lean physique, then they are likely getting the right amount of food.
Additionally, after being spayed or neutered, your pet’s metabolic rate will change and they will gain weight more readily. You will likely need to reduce their total food intake following these procedures to prevent excess weight gain.
Q. My pet actually seems really skinny to me, despite eating a lot. What should I do?
This is an unusual problem for most pets, but the first step would be to consult with a veterinarian to rule out underlying health conditions, like thyroid disease or intestinal parasites. With a clean bill of health, there could be several other reasons for an underweight pet. If you have a super athletic pet that stays very active, consider a high-energy food formulation to provide additional calories. If your pet eats everything you give them, try increasing their food by 25% per day until you see adequate weight gain. If your pet is unaltered, spaying or neutering them will help them gain weight, along with a whole host of other health benefits!
Avoid supplementing your pet’s diet with human food or large amounts of treats – it’s better for your pet to be an adequate weight while maintaining a healthy nutrient profile.