Obesity is a serious health problem for dogs and cats. In the United States, nearly 50% of middle-aged pets are overweight. The two main causes of obesity are too much food and too little exercise. Contributing factors can include hormonal influences, certain genetic factors, and other disease processes like hypothyroidism.

Your pet is overweight if you cannot feel ribs while gently rubbing the chest area. If you pet is obese, it can:

1. Increase the risk of heart disease by forcing the heart to work harder.
2. Increase the risk of arthritis and ligament tears and strains as extra weight can overstress the joints.
3. Cause breathing problems.
4. Be a prominent factor in diabetes—especially in cats.

All of these problems can make your pet uncomfortable and limit the way they interact with you and other family members.

To treat obesity, we first rule out and treat any medical causes. After we rule out a medical cause, we recommend reducing the amount of calories and increasing exercise which will help your pet successfully lose weight. Lifestyle changes such as strict limitation of treats and a weight loss program are essential if we are to succeed. Just remember—the lifestyle change is often harder on you, than it is on your pet! Your pet is happy simply to have you pet them or talk to them—they don’t need treats or food to feel loved. Our veterinarians can help determine if your pet is too heavy and provide guidelines for achieving their ideal weight.