Weight Problems

Is your dog overweight? Being desensitised to obesity is a common issue for pet parents.

80% of vets are reporting an increase in overweight pets in the last three years (PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report 2018)

Many owners nowadays would be unaware that their furry friend is overweight or how harmful this could be for the pet.  Far from being normal (as it often seems), excess weight can lead to a series of health issues including reduced lifespan, rheumatism, arthritis and diabetes.

How to tell if your pooch is overweight:

1. If the ribs, spine and hips of your dog are protruding, they’re underweight.
2. Dogs who are an ideal weight have a visible waist and you can easily feel their ribs.
3. If you have to press to feel the ribs, this means that there is a layer of fat covering them and your dog may be overweight.
4. Obese dog tend to have no waistline, but instead may have fat rolls around the neck and a drooping belly.

Bite-sized ways to make a di-fur-ence:

• Feed them well – Gradually  cut your dog’s food back by a little bit every day so they get used to having less food, feeding a weight control food that is high in fibre can help them to feel fuller for longer.  Look for low fat, low protein feeds containing complex carbohydrates of wholegrains.
• Serve them enough – Weigh the dog food for your dog, this should be based on their target weight and not their current weight.  Cut it back in stages if it is a lot less to what they’re currently eating.
• Treat them right – Don’t be fooled by the hungry look – only give your canine treats occasionally.  Any treats given need to be accounted for within their daily amount of food.
• Work them out – Make exercise a routine.  Regular workouts and running off the lead will help your dog burn off excess calories.
• Get advanced advice – Our team of nutritionists can provide professional support with pet weight control and diet related health issues.

Read John Burns’ Blog – Caring For Your Overweight Dog for further advice and information.