Dr. Mike Hello! I’m Dr. Mike. Today, we’re going to give brief introduction
on obesity in pets. We would discuss some of the problem
associated with being overweight, as well as some treatment
option. To learn more we will visit with Dr. April Miles, a
veterinarian in Rancho Santa Margarita, California.
Dr. April Miles: Obesity or overweight pets are common problems we’re seeing.
We see it a lot in my hospital and it’s basically in excessive
accumulation of body fat on the pet’s frame. It’s as made of that
40% of our general dog and cat population are overweight or even
obese.
Some of the causes of obesity include being overfed, eating or
consuming more calories than the dog or cat is actually spending.
Excessive amount of treats or table scraps even, decrease amount
of exercise or lack of exercise, metabolic conditions such as
hypothyroidism or just a change on the patient’s lifestyle. So some
of the problems associated with obesity include joint disease,
cardiovascular disease, respiratory issues, diabetes, pancreatitis
and many other problems.
Treatment options for obesity, well if your veterinarian has already
ruled out a metabolic condition, then certainly putting them on an
appropriate diet, meaning the right number of calories for that pet
nor prescription foods available that can help your pet loss weight.
We can also prescribe certain medications to aid in weight loss, but
diet and exercise tend to be very effective in weight loss. It’s
important to avoid feeding to many treats and avoiding table scraps
for maintaining weight of your pet.
A lot of my clients will ask me we’ll how much do I feed my pet.
What I told them is that depends on the kind of food they’re eating.
Generally the back of the bag of food will have guidelines for your
pet’s weight and how much they should be eating. They are just
guidelines, so if you find that they are not losing weight on that
amount fed or they’re gaining weight then you may need to make
the appropriate adjustments. If you’re not sure how much your pet
should weight, ask your veterinarian.
Dr. Mike: It is important to understand that being overweight is not just a
cosmetic issue. It can pre disposed pet to many health problems.
Unfortunately most pet owners don’t even know that their pet is
overweight. I recommend that you have your pet examine by a
veterinarian on a routine basis. This is the time to ask what the
ideal weight of your pet should be. If your pet is overweight, there
are medications, diet and exercise programs that can be prescribe
specifically for your pet.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services