Overweight
A five-step program from fat to fit
by
Audi Donamor
Is Rover carrying
around more weight than he should be?
He’s not alone. Obesity among companion
animals has reached an all time high.
Recent research by the United States National
Research Council indicates that as many
as 25 percent of cats and dogs in the
Western world are overweight. We’re
bombarded by advertisements claiming that
if you take a little red pill or try the
latest diet, you can lose four to seven
pounds in five days. A growing number
of similar products are being offered
to guardians of pudgy puppies and chubby
cats, but like their human equivalents,
they aren’t the solution. Battling
obesity involves a multi-faceted approach
that includes understanding its causes
and complications, and working closely
with a vet to tailor a weight loss program.
Here are five steps that will help your
companion move successfully from fat to
fit.
1.
Find out if he’s fat
Animals that weigh anywhere from 10 to
20 percent above their ideal body weight
for their size and breed are considered
obese. Luckily, it’s easy to tell
if your animal is overweight or obese.
If a cat looks fat, she is. You should
not see fat deposits on her back, face,
or limbs, and her abdomen should not be
rounded.
A healthy dog will have a waist when viewed
from above, and a tucked stomach when
viewed from the side. His ribs should
be easily felt through a thin layer of
flesh. If one of these signposts is missing,
your dog may be overweight; if more than
one is missing, and you see fatty deposits
over your dog’s chest, spine, and
the base of his tail, he is obese.
2.
Be aware of the risks
Obesity causes many of the same problems
in animals as it does in us. Dr. Donald
Strombeck, DVM, PhD, author of Home-Prepared
Dog and Cat Diets: The Healthful Alternative,
says that obesity is the most common form
of malnutrition affecting dogs in Western
countries. According to Dr. John Rush,
Professor of Clinical Sciences at Tufts
University School of Veterinary Medicine,
overweight dogs often have extra fat deposits
on their chest walls or inside their chest
cavities, which places an additional burden
on their cardiovascular and respiratory
systems.
Another common medical problem caused
or aggravated by obesity is arthritis.
Your animal can also experience orthopedic
problems, from herniated discs to ruptured
stifle ligaments. Obesity can also contribute
to heat intolerance, skin problems, and
even surgical complications, leading to
longer recovery time.
Overweight cats are at risk of developing
diabetes mellitus, lower urinary tract
disease, and hepatic lipidosis, a severe
form of liver failure typically occurring
in obese cats who have undergone a brief
period of stress, which could be as simple
as a change in diet. In order to avoid
this potentially fatal disease, treatment
of feline obesity needs to be approached
with caution, and always under the care
of a veterinarian.
3.
Visit the vet
If your dog or cat is overweight, a trip
to your veterinarian is in order before
any kind of weight management program
is put into place. Your animal’s
medical history should be considered,
along with a thorough physical examination,
including a complete blood panel and urinalysis,
to ensure that endocrine diseases such
as hypothyroidism, an insulin imbalance,
hyperadrenocorticism or Cushing’s
disease, aren’t behind your animal’s
weight gain.
Dr. Martin Goldstein, DVM, author of The
Nature of Animal Healing, recommends the
use of a metabolic analysis which examines
your animal’s body, evaluates immune
system function, and determines nutritional
and glandular requirements. This information
can then be used as part of a complete
weight loss program for your companion.
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Published
in the February/March 2005 issue of Animal
Wellness
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