Weight matters!
Just as in humans, there is an obesity epidemic in companion animals. And, the people who love them are responsible for it.
“Over the past five years,” according to a national survey of 2.5 million pets by Banfield Pet Hospital, “overweight and obesity have increased by 37 percent in dogs, affecting approximately 1 in 4 pets.”
Start with Your Veterinarian
Any weight reduction program should begin with an assessment by your veterinarian to be certain a health or medication issue is not responsible for the weight gain. You should discuss what type of exercise and diet might work best, and if any medical support is needed to succeed.
I sat down with in-home, mobile veterinarian Brian Bourquin, DVM of Dr. B Concierge Veterinary Clinic to learn how your veterinarian can help. He explained that first you need to have, “…a realistic goal of where the dog should be.” To do this, he takes into account the breed characteristics and recommends an ideal weight for that particular dog.
Log that Food
Next, he asks the client to figure out what they are actually feeding. “Everything that is ingested by the dog counts as calories,” he said. That includes food, treats, chews, and table scraps. And, he requests actual measurements in cups, pieces, or ounces.
It may not be just what YOU are feeding your dog. How about the rest of the family? Dog lover, Lynne Schneider told me how she finally got the cooperation of her husband and three sons who were overfeeding their Golden Retriever, Prince. “When I couldn't make one of the vet appointments, my husband filled in and took the dogs – and was told that Prince needed to lose a lot of weight or he would die very early.”
Apparently, the doctor was able to convince the guys to change their ways and Prince is now a trimmer, healthier dog. So make it a family vet visit and family project for best results.
Regular Weight Checks
Do a regular weight check on your animal and keep track of it. Not only is it a way to track progress, but it also can alert you to anything that might be going wrong. “It happens rarely,” Dr. Bourquin said, “but, you can actually lose weight too fast. It needs to be a slow gradual loss.”
We'll hit this topic again soon with tips on increasing the exercise and calorie burning half of the weight loss equation.
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Words: Previously published as one of Penny's City Paws newspaper columns.
Photos: Courtesy of Pooch Hotel
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