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9. Recommendations for Addressing Companion Animal Obesity
Overweight and obesity in companion animals impairs quality of life, shortens the lifespan in dogs, and once established, is difficult to reverse. With a rising prevalence, it is a major welfare concern; yet, there is cause for optimism that an increased willingness and motivation by small-animal veterinarians to address weight gain can succeed in achieving weight loss. Approximately two-thirds of pet owners who agreed with their veterinarian’s assessment that their dog was overweight were motivated to take action to reduce weight. The strength of that motivation appeared to correlate with the information provided during the consultation. This study concluded that a combination of a discussion of weight, health risks, and the provision of advice on how to best achieve weight loss via dietary change, was most likely to motivate clients to take appropriate action. Veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals should record the patient’s body weight and BCS at each visit, and the surveillance of previous weights (if available) should be reviewed to assess trends. We suggest discussion and documentation of increasing or declining patient weights of 5% or more, as in keeping with our duty to provide informed consent. As making the diagnosis of overweight and obesity is straightforward, and the health and welfare consequences of the disease are well known, the veterinary profession needs to take a proactive stance regarding this problem. Such an approach should prioritize prevention rather than resolution, aided by lifelong body weight monitoring.
We recommend that veterinarians weigh growing dogs and cats monthly until they reach skeletal maturity, and monitor the rate of growth using growth charts. This will improve the likelihood of the dog or cat reaching skeletal maturity at an optimal body weight, confirmed by assessing the BCS. The animal’s early adult ideal bodyweight can be recorded in the clinical notes and used as a reference during adult life. From skeletal maturity until the senior life stage, we recommend that dogs and cats be weighed at least every six months, and then at least every three months in senior patients. Such a program would enable small increases in bodyweight to be identified early, before the animal is formally considered to be overweight, thus corrective measures could be implemented. In addition, older patients losing weight could be identified at an earlier stage of illness. If veterinary practices are not able to offer such frequent weight checks, a weight and body condition score should be obtained annually, at a minimum.
We advise that all patients in weight loss programs be weighed at least every month. If weight loss is documented, positive reinforcement and praise should be provided to encourage continued compliance. If there has not been satisfactory weight loss, further information should be gathered to identify the reasons. For small dogs and cats, owners can acquire a suitable digital scale, so that the pet owner is empowered to obtain the weights at home, and call in with monthly reports. This also reduces the stress of transport to the hospital, especially for cats. The success of weight loss initiatives requires a team approach including pet owners, paraprofessional staff and practitioners. This strategy can be accomplished without stigmatizing, shaming, or alienating the pet owner.
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