How to Maintain a Healthy Weight for Your Pet

Trying to maintain a healthy weight range for your pet isn’t always as simple as feeding them less and some pet parents can be in the opposite position where they are struggling to get their pets to gain weight.    

But regardless of if you want your pet to gain weight or lose weight it’s maintaining a healthy weight can be the difference between your pet living happily and healthy or being diagnosed with a long-term condition. 

Why is maintaining healthy weight so important? 

Dogs and cats are considered overweight when they become 10-20% heavier than their ideal weight dependent on their breed. Overweight and underweight dogs and cats are often predisposed with various disease and disorders that can be hard to manage and often shorten their lifespan. 

Dog and cat obesity increases the risk and likelihood of metabolic disorders, endocrine disease, reproductive disorders, cardiopulmonary disease, urinary disorders, dermatological disease, arthritis, and neoplasia. Nutrition deficiency can lead to chronic gastrointestinal problems, depression, skin and coat issues, brain development, vision impairment and poor immune system. 
These are major health concerns and need to be treated differently over long period of time and in some cases for the rest of your pet's life.  

How can I tell if my pet is overweight? 

The ideal weight for your pet is dependent on breed and pet body scoring systems available. Your veterinarian may refer to a body score chart to demonstrate where your pet sits on this scale and where you should aim to have them if they are over or underweight. 

Your pets' ribs, waistline and tummy will be visually assessed and examined to determine if your pet is under or overweight. 

Canine Body Scoring  

Usually, the best way to determine if your dog is under or overweight is by starting at their ribs. Generally, an inward curve behind the ribs should be seen and you should be able to still feel their ribs when you press onto them. But if your dog is overweight, it will have excess fat covering the ribs and the waistline with the inward curve will usually not be seen.Check out the WSAVA body condition chart to find out if your dog is in good shape.

Feline Body Scoring  

Like dogs you won’t be able to easily feel your cats' ribs or backbone in an overweight cat. Overweight cats will not have a curve but rather a tummy that drags and may swim when they walk. Check out the WSAVA body condition chart to find out if your dog is in good shape.

How can I manage my pet’s weight? 

Put together a plan 

There are a lot of factors to consider when outing together a plan to manage your pet's weight and it’s best to seek veterinary advice to develop a proper weight management plan. The reason is because although diet plays an important part in the cause of weight problems for our pets some breeds can be predisposed to certain diseases and conditions and some medications are known to cause weight gain. If a medical condition is causing your pet to gain weight you will need to work with your veterinarian to come up with a treatment plan that will manage the condition and help your pet lose those extra kilos.   

Calculate how much food you should feed your pet 

Depending on how old your pet is, their lifestyle and current weight will help determine what food is going to be suitable for your pet and the amount they will need to feed daily to maintain a healthy weight.  The higher premium diets have been designed to make your pet feel fuller for longer by using ingredients rich in nutrients and amino acids.  

Investing in a veterinary approved diet will ensure that your pet is not only receiving the correct amount of food for their body weight everyday but also ensures they are getting the immune system support they need to help with any ailments and keep them happy and healthy for life.  

How much exercise should my dog have?  

Daily exercise can be challenging for some dog owners depending on many different factors. Some breeds are more active than others so require more exercise, but we understand this isn’t always possible with our busy lives and work schedules. So, incorporating some fun games or playing with other animals, chasing the ball and other activities is an easy way to encourage some movement and increase activity levels.  

How much exercise should my cat have?  

Exercising your cat is something that isn’t discussed very often but it’s important for their happiness and health long term. Cats love to climb and explore so setting up spaces where they can climb, scratch and explore toys is a great way to have them be active and lose weight. Some cat owners take their cats for walks safely on a harness, so they can explore outside under supervision. It’s generally recommended that you exercise your cat for 30 minutes per day if possible. 

Checking the weight of your pet 

When you’ve determined how much weight your pet needs to lose or gain weight you can monitor the weight of your pet regularly to make sure you’re on track and if any updates are needed to their weight management plan. 

Our certified Your Pet PA experts is now ready to help you arrange an appointment for further guidance for your pet's weight management goals and plans on our website.

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