Weight Management for Pets

As pet owners you want to give your pets all the love in the world and one of the primary ways you show them you care is by feeding them. Often the amount and type of food you feed your pet is based on how much they enjoy it. This becomes a problem when your pet is overweight or obese. Based on the patient's age, breed, lifestyle, and health status our veterinarians can help create habits that will keep your pet at a healthy weight.

When is my pet considered overweight?

Visibly you can tell when your pet has a few extra pounds. A veterinarian can accurately determine if your pet is overweight or obese. Each pet has an ideal weight that is calculated based on their breed and age. If your pet weighs more than 20% above their ideal weight, then they are obese; less than 15% above that ideal weight is considered overweight. To schedule an appointment, please give us a call at 519-285-2116.

What is weight management?

It is an integrated approach to control your pet's weight. The veterinarian will discuss your pet's eating habits, portion size, feeding schedule and the amount of exercise they get daily. To check whether your pet's weight has started to affect their overall health, our team will run blood tests and X-rays to get a glimpse at what's going on inside their body. If your pet is obese, they may have low energy, mobility issues and difficulty breathing. These symptoms can lead to arthritis, cardiac disease, respiratory illness, anesthesia complications and cancer. We may recommend the following tips to help control your pet's weight:

1. Low calorie nutritional foods. We will recommend certain brands of food that are specifically made to help pets lose weight while getting enough nutrients.
2. Regular exercise. Keeping your pet active will help them burn calories and get rid of excess fat.
3. Change their feeding plan. Having set mealtimes can curb your pet's appetite and also reduce their treats. Treats should amount to 10% or less of their daily calories.