Obesity and Your Pets

Definition

Obesity is the most common nutritional disease occurring in dogs and cats It is an excess of fatty tissue in the body that is associated with many health problems. Obesity is common with advancing age and in females than in males.

Why is Obesity Dangerous?

Overweight pets generally have more physical ailments and a shorter life span than those of average weight. Obesity often reduces a pet's enjoyment of life and the owner's enjoyment of their pet.

Obesity can cause or worsen:

1) Locomotion problems including arthritis, hip dysplasia. Spinal disc problems and ligament rupture.
2) Lung disease
3) Heart disease
4) Liver disease
5) Diabetes
6) Gastrointestinal problems, including constipation, excessive gas and pancreatitis
7) Increased surgical and anaesthetic risks
8) Heat intolerance
9) Skin disease
10) Mental irritability (Related to discomfort)
11) Lowered resistance to infectious diseases (especially viruses)
12) Decreased exercise tolerance (part of a vicious cycle that worsens obesity).

What causes obesity?

Obesity is caused by consumption of calories in excess of need. Too much food, too little exercise or both.

Boredom, idleness and nervousness are known to increase food intake in people and may also do so in dogs and cats. Pets fed with home-cooked meals, table scraps, treats and snacks have a higher incidence of obesity than those fed only commercial rations. Neutering decreases roaming and thus, energy needs. If the dietary energy intake is not decreased accordingly or if desirable exercise is not provided, obesity can occur. However, the dangerous consequences and annoyances associated with roaming, mating behaviour, unwanted litters, and hormone related diseases make controlling calorie intake and providing desirable exercise for the neutered pet, a much better weight control option.

Overfeeding puppies predisposes to obesity in the adult by increasing the number of fat cells. After maturity, fat cell numbers do not increase as readily. Instead, the size of the fat cells can increase. Weight reduction, regardless of age, primarily decreases fat cell size but not numbers. Thus puppies that become obese during growth will frequently have a problem with obesity throughout life. Overfeeding during growth is less likely to cause obesity in larger breeds of dogs, instead, it can result in a faster growth rate which predisposes to the development of skeletal problems during the growth period.

There are certain glandular diseases which can cause obesity but they are rare. By far, the most common causes of obesity in dogs and cats are overfeeding and inadequate exercise.

How to Know if your Pet is Overweight?

The amount of tissue overlaying the rib cage is the most practical way to evaluate your pet's weight. Your pet is thin or normal, if the ribs are easily felt. Your pet is overweight if the ribs are difficult to feel. Your pet is dangerously obese if the ribs cannot be felt at all. In some pets, particularly cats, the presence of a pendulous abdomen indicates obesity, and excess tissue over the ribs may not be present. This assessment is based on judgement and therefore, your opinion should be confirmed by your veterinarian at regular intervals. Before beginning a weight reduction programme for your pet, an examination by your veterinarian is recommended. This will rule out conditions that can look like obesity such as excessive fluid accumulation in the body. It is important to confirm that your pet is really overweight and not exhibiting symptoms of heart, kidney or other diseases.

We shall look at ways on how to manage obesity in dogs and cats and home management of obesity in our next article.

Pet owners who wish to know about pets and pet care, please call the customer care line at 03-40432420, visit our website at www.petscorner.com.my or e-mail to customercare@petscorner.com.my