Healthy Weight, Healthy Pet: Introduction

In the 1960's and 1970's, 1 in 10 dogs in the United States were considered to be obese. Recent reports now conservatively estimate about 1 in 3, and as high as 2 in 3, dogs are overweight or obese in the U.S. Similar numbers are reported for cat populations.

It is not a coincidence that these statistics parallel the rise of obesity in adults in the U.S. The sedentary lifestyle packs on the pounds on our pets the same way it does on us.

The most common causes of obesity in dogs are diet and hormonal disorders. Of the two, diet is the more common problem. However, it is important to rule out any underlying medical problems prior to starting a weight loss plan.

The first step, of course, is to identify and recognize when our pets are overweight. The ideal body weight is specific to each pet based on the pet's breed or breeds. Body size and conformation also play a role in a pet's ideal weight. With all these variables, sometimes it is not easy to recognize when our pet is overweight. Hence, it is a good idea to discuss a pet's body weight and condition during the general physical exam.

Using weight (pounds or kilograms) as a unit measure to monitor healthy body weights is not practical. Being 5 pounds over the ideal body weight for a 95 pound Shepherd Mix is not as bad as it is for a 20 pound Terrier Mix. Body condition score (BCS) is a measure often used to assess, compare, and track a pet's body weight and body condition. Unfortunately, there are several body condition scales, so a BCS of 4 may be overweight on the 1 to 5 scale of one system, yet thin or ideal on the 1 to 9 scale of another.

At The Family Vet, we use the 1 to 9 system from Purina where a score of 4 and 5 are ideal in the dogs and 5 is ideal in cats.

For dogs
For cats

BCS is not perfect but it is an effective way for us to assess and monitor our pets' healthy weights. Just be consistent and use the same scoring system so you can track progress.

Once it is decided that a pet is overweight, the next step is to determine the target weight. The target weight may not be the ideal weight. We use target weights as steps to reach the ideal weight. At each target weight, we re-evaluate the body condition score to see if that is the healthy weight for the pet and adjust as needed.

With the target weight in sight, we then determine the plan based on the pet's lifestyle and the client's ability and resources. If there is no underlying medical condition, the health plan varies but often includes the same basic prescription as for people: Less calories, more physical activities.

Follow-ups are critical to success. Timely weight checks motivate us when we are nearing the target weight and/or encourage us to work harder on our plan. Even more importantly, follow-ups allow us to detect serious problems, such as drastic weight loss (not a good thing, especially in cats), that may require changes to our plan.

So the general steps to a healthy body weight for our pets include:
1) Find the pet's weight and determine the body condition score.
2) If the pet is overweight (or underweight), check with the veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical problems. Based on the pet's age and physical exam, blood and urine tests may be needed to assess health condition.
3) Determine a realistic target weight for the pet.
4) Design a practical health plan to include diet changes and appropriate activity levels.
5) Follow-ups to monitor progress and modify plans as needed.

In the coming weeks, we will look at some of the above steps in more details, including tips to implement the health plan and make it more enjoyable for both you and your pets. We will also look at whether or not pharmaceutical products, such as Slentrol, have any role in our pet's health plan.

Coming up: Determining the Body Condition Score: Dogs.