Weight Management in Pets

Many pets are heavier than ever, with veterinarians deeming 52.5 percent of dogs and 58.3 percent of cats in the United States to be overweight. This means that about 80 million pets are at increased risk for serious weight-related health problems. Every veterinarian at Trinity Pet Hospital is dedicated to improving pet health through comprehensive pet wellness plans that include weight management.

As a pet owner, you can perform a simple exam to determine if your dog or cat is overweight. At a healthy weight, you should be able to feel the pet’s ribs. The animal’s stomach should not sag; the owner should not be able to grab a handful of fat at the belly. Lastly, the owner should see a visible waistline when viewing the dog or cat from above.

Pet Wellness through Weight Management

Overweight pets, like overweight humans, are at risk for weight-related medical conditions, including diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart and respiratory diseases, kidney disease, high blood pressure, some types of cancer, and early death. Being overweight or obese also increases the risk for cranial cruciate ligament injury, a serious knee problem in dogs. Reducing weight decreases these risks in dogs and cats.

After determining that a pet is overweight, you should slowly reduce your pet’s caloric intake and increase exercise slowly.

Weight Loss with the Help of a Veterinarian

Humans often lose more weight with medical weight loss plans and pets can benefit from the help of a veterinarian or animal hospital too. Trinity Pet Hospital can help pet owners develop a safe and effective weight loss and pet wellness plan. The professionals at our veterinary clinic are happy to help you determine if a pet is overweight or obese, calculate the animal’s daily caloric needs, and devise an exercise plan. Our veterinarian will also diagnose and treat any weight-related disorders to lengthen and improve the quality of a dog or cat’s life.

Is your pet overweight?