Advice on Pet Obesity

Obesity is when your pet has too much body fat and it has a negative impact on their health, welfare and quality of life. We believe obesity is a serious welfare issue in pets, because it can cause suffering and can be extremely disabling. It's also likely to affect your pet's ability to do their normal activities, like exercise.

Pet obesity can cause serious health problems, and make existing problems worse, which can reduce the length and quality of your pet's life. It puts them at greater risk of conditions such as:

  • Diabetes     
  • Heart disease
  • Respiratory distress
  • High blood pressure
  • Cancers

 

Several factors can make obesity more likely in your pet.

For example, in dogs:

  • Breed - certain breeds have a higher risk.
  • Age - the risk increases with age.
  • Neuter status - neutered dogs are more at risk.
  • Sex - apart from older dogs, obesity is reported to be more common in females.
  • Obese owner - may lead to having an obese dog as it may be exercised less, or less able to recognise obesity.

 

Here are a few simple checks you can do to see whether your dog is overweight:

  • You should be able to see and feel the outline of your dog's ribs without excess fat covering.      
  • You should be able to see and feel your dog's waist, and it should be clearly visible when viewed from above.      
  • Your dog's belly should be tucked up when viewed from the side.

 

Here's how to check whether your cat is overweight:

  • You should be able to see and feel your cat's ribs, spine and hip bones.
  • Your cat's waist should be clearly visible when viewed from above.
  • Your cat's belly shouldn't be sagging underneath - there should only be a small amount of belly fat.

 

Obesity can affect all types of pet. It's mainly caused by eating too much or not exercising enough, although some diseases can also cause obesity. To help prevent obesity in your pet, make sure they maintain a healthy diet and give them plenty of exercise. If you're concerned about your pet's weight, contact your local vet.