14/10/2026
🌟 What We Do Wednesday! 🌟
⚖️ Weight Management Clinics ⚖️
🐾 Today is Pet Obesity Awareness Day, so is a good opportunity to discuss the importance of maintaining a healthy bodyweight for our pets.
🐾 When we consider that we use food and treats to train our pets, to provide distraction, to disguise medications and to solidify our bond with them, as well as often to show our love for them, it isn't surprising that so many of our pets are overweight.
🐾 Unfortunately though, as we know with ourselves, carrying extra weight does increase the risk of many health conditions. Overweight pets are more likely to develop diabetes, other endocrine disorders, heart disease, certain cancers, arthritis, cruciate ligament disease, lung disease, spinal disc disease, fly strike and skin disease.
🐾 Body condition scores are the best way to determine whether your pet is a healthy weight. Our team will be happy to help you determine where on the chart your pet sits. Regular weight checks are still an important tool for detecting subtle changes though.
🐾Once you have realised your pet could do with losing some (or quite a bit) of weight, why not let our amazing nursing team help support you and your pet with their weight loss journey? Evidence shows that pets attending weight loss clinics with their owners chatting through the best ways to help them are more likely to lose weight.
🐾 They may suggest you consider a health check: although most of our overweight pets have simply overindulged a bit too much, some conditions such as hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease can affect metabolism and painful conditions may reduce their desire to exercise.
🐾 Weight loss is healthiest when it's slow and steady. We aim for losing about 1% of their bodyweight a week.
🐾 It is important to consider ALL calorie intake: as with people, weight gain tends to arise from the food and drink consumed in between meal times. Treats, chews, kongs, lick mats etc are all fine to use, but the calories need to be taken into account when calculating meal sizes.
🐾 Some owners would rather feed lower amounts of the same diets, while others struggle with giving their pet less and so would rather use a lower calorie version. Prescription obesity diets are available specifically designed for animals trying to lose weight.
🐾 Although increases in exercise should be gradual, increasing the calories burnt is useful for weight-loss as well as improving physical and mental health. This doesn't have to be extra walks, it can involve scatter feeding, puzzle feeders or extra play sessions.
🐾 Dogs have an advantage over us when trying to lose weight: they can't open the fridge or food cupboard! Their success or not depends almost solely on you. Remember that you are being kind to them and try not to succumb to the puppy-dog eyes!
🐾 Pets who are a healthy body weight are more likely to live longer than their chubbier friends. We all want our pets to live long and healthy lives, and this is one aspect of their health that we can help control.
🐾 If you would like further advise on weight loss or to book in to one of our weight loss clinics please give us a call ☎️
