With the start of the new year, many people focus on their own health and fitness goals. Similarly, it's a perfect time to consider the weight of your pet and whether a weight loss plan is needed. Obesity in pets is a growing concern, and addressing it can significantly improve their quality of life and overall health.
Assessing Your Pet's Weight: Body Condition Score (BCS)
Veterinarians use a body condition score (BCS) system to determine if a pet is underweight, overweight, or at an ideal body weight. The BCS considers not only the number on the scale and physical appearance but also the amount of fat deposits felt by your veterinarian during the exam, along with the amount of muscle mass.
The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention offers charts illustrating body condition scores for dogs and cats, which can be a helpful starting point for pet owners. Key indicators of an overweight pet include:
- Difficulty feeling ribs under a moderate fat covering.
- Palpable ribs only with significant pressure due to marked fat deposits.
- Inability to feel ribs due to excessive fat deposits.
The Dangers of Obesity in Pets
Obesity is associated with numerous negative health conditions in pets, mirroring many of the same risks seen in humans. These include:
- Joint Disease and Osteoarthritis: Extra weight puts additional pressure and stress on joints, leading to early joint degeneration and decreased mobility. This can create a cycle where decreased mobility further exacerbates obesity.
- Diabetes Mellitus: Excess body fat can lead to insulin resistance, particularly in cats. Weight loss can significantly decrease a cat’s risk of developing diabetes mellitus.
- Heart Disease: Fat tissue, though relatively nonvascular, still requires blood flow. This leads to an increase in circulatory volume and cardiac output, ultimately resulting in hypertension.
- Other Endocrine Diseases: Various endocrine diseases are associated with obesity, such as Cushing’s disease and hypothyroidism in dogs.
Identifying the Culprits: Causes of Pet Obesity
In most cases, pet obesity stems from a combination of factors, primarily related to diet and exercise. "Well, we are the culprits. Overfeeding, lack of exercise, and too many treats can lead to obesity in pets."
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- Overfeeding: Giving pets too much food, even if it's "healthy" food, can lead to weight gain.
- Lack of Exercise: Insufficient physical activity means fewer calories burned, contributing to fat storage.
- Too Many Treats: Treats often add extra calories without providing significant nutritional value.
Strategies for Successful Pet Weight Loss
Weight loss for pets can be a slow and challenging process, requiring time, patience, and consistency. A multi-faceted approach that combines dietary changes and increased exercise is typically most effective.
Dietary Adjustments
- Calorie Counting: Accurately calculating your pet's daily calorie needs is crucial. A good starting point is visiting the Pet Nutrition Alliance website. This website allows you to enter your dog's current weight along with their body condition score, and it calculates a calorie count. It is important to account for all food AND treats using this calorie count.
- Choosing the Right Food: Consider specially formulated weight loss diets. There are several over-the-counter options as well as prescription diets that can be given to your pet for weight loss. Various over-the-counter food brands have “low calorie” or “perfect weight” formulas.
- Measuring Food Portions: When feeding in cups, it is important to use an actual measuring cup to avoid overfeeding/underfeeding. Calories per cup can vary, so please check the back of the bag for an accurate calorie measurement of how many cups your pet should be eating.
- Healthy Treat Alternatives: Replace high-calorie treats with healthy, low-calorie options. Healthy, low-calorie fruits and vegetables such as apple slices, carrots, celery, and cucumber can be used as treats.
Increasing Physical Activity
- More Playtime: Engage your pet in more frequent and active play sessions.
- Frequent Walks: Increase the duration and frequency of walks, tailoring the intensity to your pet's abilities.
- Consider a Kitty Treadmill: For indoor cats, a kitty treadmill can provide a structured way to increase their activity level.
Veterinary Guidance
- Consult Your Veterinarian: Before starting any weight loss program, consult with your veterinarian. They can assess your pet's overall health, rule out any underlying medical conditions, and provide personalized recommendations.
- Regular Check-ups: Regular veterinary check-ups are essential to monitor your pet's progress and make any necessary adjustments to the weight loss plan.
Success Stories: Inspiration for Pet Owners
The story of Vincent, a 7-year-old obese dachshund, serves as an inspiring example of what's possible. In 2016, Vincent weighed 38 pounds when he was surrendered to an animal shelter in Houston, Texas. Thanks to the help of K-9 Angels Rescue, he was able to lose over half of his body weight and was renamed Skinny Vinny.
Special Considerations for Diabetic Cats
Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the body cannot properly produce or respond to the hormone insulin, resulting in elevated levels of glucose in the blood. More cats are acquiring diabetes as the number of overweight or obese cats grows. Weight loss is also an important component of diabetic management in overweight cats.
Unlike dogs, cats can reach diabetic remission; these cats have near-normal blood glucose levels without receiving insulin or other blood-sugar-lowering medication. However, cats in diabetic remission require close monitoring to ensure that they do not relapse.
Monitoring Diabetic Cats
- Blood Glucose Curves: Blood glucose curves are used to monitor response to insulin dosing. If a blood glucose curve is performed at home, pet owners measure the first blood glucose reading before the insulin injection. Then, they test every 2 to 4 hours until the next dose of insulin, depending on the type of insulin used. Performing curves at home eliminates the stress of coming to the clinic, which can affect the accuracy of the testing.
- Glucose Meters: One method of measuring glucose is by using a glucose meter calibrated for feline blood, such as a AlphaTRAK3.
- Continuous Glucose Monitors: Another way is by using a continuous glucose monitor, such as a FreeStyle Libre. These monitors can be picked up at a human pharmacy and installed by a veterinarian or veterinary technician.
- Other Monitoring Tests: Other important monitoring tests include serial bloodwork and urine testing.
- Monitoring at Home: Monitoring your cat’s level of thirst and urination, weight, and appetite are important throughout treatment. These measures can give clues as to how well the diabetes is being managed.
Potential Complications
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA): This problem occurs when there is not enough insulin in the body to control the amount of glucose in the blood. DKA happens in uncontrolled diabetics.
- Hypoglycemia: Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, which may arise when insulin therapy lowers the blood sugar significantly. Signs of hypoglycemia include weakness, lethargy, vomiting, lack of coordination, seizures, and coma.
The Importance of Veterinary Medicine and Addressing the Unknowns
Veterinarians sometimes face situations where they "don't know" the answer immediately. Answers often cost money. Even the best veterinarians can go only so far on a physical exam and asking good questions. Eventually we need test results, but this costs money-your money-and sometimes we don’t need an answer to find the treatment. We want to put your resources to the best use. Answers often aren’t easy. One of the worst things that has ever happened to any medical professional is the show CSI. They always find the answer in a convenient hour (or 40 minutes if you’re paying for premium streaming). This is just not reality. Yes, sometimes tests to give you a precise answer, but a lot of times testing provides information and clues. Answers often aren’t universal. This is what I mean when I say a pet “hasn’t read the textbook.” The same problem does not always manifest in the same way in every pet. I know this may not instill a lot of confidence in what I and my colleagues do, but I say this because I want you to know that getting an answer isn’t my only goal. I want to help you and your pet in the best way possible.
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Diversity in Veterinary Medicine
Diversity in veterinary medicine is not just a moral imperative; it’s a necessity for advancing the field and providing equitable care to all animals. Minority communities often face barriers to accessing veterinary care, including socioeconomic factors, language barriers, cultural differences, and geographical location. In 2023 only 1.3% are African American/Black veterinarians and 7.9% are Hispanic/Latinx veterinarians. Diverse teams are more adept at problem-solving and innovation due to the variety of perspectives and approaches they bring. Increasing diversity within veterinary programs, whether doctors, nurses, assistants, or reception staff, provides an opportunity for underrepresented groups to find role models and mentors they can relate to and aspire to emulate. Although there have been advances in increasing diversity within veterinary programs, disparities persist in acceptance rates for minority students. Diversity is not just a trend; it’s a fundamental aspect of veterinary medicine that enriches the profession and improves the quality of care provided to animals. For the past four years, the incoming class of students at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois has been made up of one-quarter students from underrepresented groups. We will continue efforts to increase representation and address disparities in acceptance rates for minorities. We can build a more inclusive veterinary workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. -Dr.
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