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Lack of time is a commonly cited reason for failing to discuss overweight or obesity; this raises the question of whether clients and pets would be better served by extending the time allotted for select appointments so as to ensure that the important issue of obesity can be properly addressed. This may increase the care costs to clients in the short term via longer consultations, but those costs would be offset by the long-term benefits of reduced expenditures for the testing and treatment of overweight- and obesity-associated conditions. The greatest benefit may be unmeasurable, that being improving the quality of life of their animal companion via weight loss. Some may argue that the primary role of the veterinarian is to maximize the human–animal bond, and that focusing on modifying dietary regimens for overweight or obese pets infringes on the bond and causes more emotional harm to the human and animal than the potential benefits are worth. We believe that the veterinarian should encourage the client to not only diminish caloric intake as the pivotal means of resolving obesity, but to also divert the energy and positive intentions previously associated with overfeeding into other endeavors that may be more beneficial to the emotional or physical health of both the animal and human, such as playing with toys or other animal companions, walking, or jogging [62]. Pursuing such a goal respects the importance of preserving the human–animal bond while ensuring that practical and feasible tools to mitigate obesity are provided.
10. Conclusions
Veterinarians are not adequately addressing the pet obesity epidemic, and are thereby abdicating their role as advocates for animals. Preemptive monitoring to prevent obesity from developing is strongly encouraged. A combination of informing pet owners that their pet is or may become overweight, discussing the health and welfare implications of obesity, and providing information on how to achieve weight loss, is the most effective mechanism for motivating pet owners to improve the health and welfare of their overweight or obese animal companions. The One-Health perspective encourages coordinated action by human and veterinary healthcare professionals to address obesity in people and companion animals as a public health concern. In pets, as in humans, there is increasing interest in interventions that promote ‘health and well-being’ into later life and extend these beyond their current limits. The purpose of this review was to assess the relevance of current knowledge of ageing in humans, described in a companion paper, as well as reviewing recent research on ageing in pet populations. The role of diet and other factors that influence the ageing process and ultimately lifespan in pets are highlighted in this review; in addition, future opportunities and challenges to further our understanding of the ageing process in pets are identified. Advancing knowledge of the fundamental biology of ageing will be key for the development and evaluation of strategies that extend both the quality and the quantity of lifespan in human and pet populations.
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