Unfortunately, it is estimated that one in two domestic dogs and cats are overweight. That is half of our pet population!

Apart from the obvious signs of weight gain, an overweight pet may also exhibit difficulty in walking, disinterest in activity, shortness of breath and sleep excessively. Most importantly overweight pets are predisposed to health problems such as Diabetes, Heart Disease, Skin Complaints, Respiratory Difficulties and Arthritis.

You may ask “what causes weight gain in our pets?” In most cases weight gain is caused by feeding our pets too much, feeding inappropriate diets and lack of exercise. Age can sometimes play a part in weight gain in our pets as these animals are less likely to exercise and therefore require fewer calories. There are some breeds that are predisposed to weight gain, but any animal will gain weight if fed too many calories and not exercised enough.

There are a few medical conditions that may also cause your pet to put on weight and these should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Many clinics offer free weight checks, body scoring and weight loss clinics. They can offer advice on the most suitable diet to bring your pets weight back into the normal range.