As more Americans struggle to manage their own weight, our pets seem to be struggling as well. A new study that came out in February announced that more than half of U.S. dogs and cats are overweight or obese. "Obese" is defined as weighing 30% above the normal weight, which would describe 20% of all cats and dogs according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.
Owners overfeeding pets and pets not being exercised enough are the major problems. Add to that owners who are not aware of the serious health problems caused by excess weight and you can appreciate why the problem is spiraling out of control.
Obesity in pets is such an easily prevented disease that it is now being compared to smoking in humans. It is truly the single most preventable disease that our pets face. Steven Budsberg, director of clinical research at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine says with obesity, "There is the high cost to people, and it's self induced. I never met a German Shepard who could open the refrigerator or food bag and pour himself another bowl."
Obesity is not only detrimental to pets health, it is also costly. Petplan USA, a pet insurance company, says five of the top insurance claims all have a close correlation to obesity. Cruciate ruptures can cost approximately $1500 and tend to occur more often when large breed dogs are overweight.
There are two problems with addressing pet obesity in the veterinary world. The first is that veterinarians often avoid the topic, as they don't want to make owners feel bad and it is hard to tell an overweight owner that their pet is overweight. The other half of the problem is that often times, owners don't feel that their pets are overweight. Pfizer Inc.'s Animal Health business showed that 47% of veterinarians felt their canine patients were obese while only 17% of dog owners agreed.
It's often hard to figure out what a dog should weigh, but try to imagine this: A 90-pound female Labrador Retriever is roughly equivalent to a 186-pound woman who is 5-foot, 4-inches tall, which would be considered obese. Or if you have a cat, a 15 pound Domestic Shorthair is comparable to a 254 pound man who is 5-foot-9.
If you are wondering how much you should be feeding your cats and dogs, don't go to the back of the bag as they can typically overfeed by 25%. And regular pet food and treat products are not required to list the calories on the bag. Working with your veterinarian to feed measured amounts of food and low calorie treats is the best way to make sure you aren't overfeeding.
The other part to battling pet obesity is keeping them physically active. And an active pet generally results in an active owner, which is great all around. Not every dog and cat requires the same amount of exercise. Larger breeds such as Labradors and German shepherds need 30 to 60 minutes of active play daily, vets say, or two to three miles of walking. Smaller breeds still require about 15 to 30 minutes of play, while cats benefit from short five- to 15-minute bursts of activity like chasing toys.
For more information on pet obesity, visit the following websites:
Pet Obesity Prevention
Pet Slim Down
