How to help your pet lose weight

So, you’ve gone to the vet or maybe even a family member’s house, and they may have mentioned something about your pet being overweight.

Yes, even our pets can become a little chubby, and just like for us, carrying extra weight isn’t always healthy and can cause medical issues.

We want your pet to be in the best shape so they can live a long and happy life, and keeping their weight under control is an easy way to do this.

How do I know if my dog is overweight?

You can use this chart as a guide. Generally, a healthy weight would see your dog having a slight hourglass figure in their torso and some definition in their body.

How do I know if my cat is overweight?

Generally, cats should be quite lean and have a loose scruff (skin behind the neck). You can see if your cat is a healthy weight below.

If your pet is fluffy, it can be difficult to tell just with your eyes, but you can feel if your pet’s body condition through their fur or check them the next time they have a bath.

My pet needs to lose weight, how can I help them?

Like all weight loss, there needs to be a calorie deficit in order for a pet to lose weight. This means that the calories burned needs to be more than the calories consumed. You can do this two ways: by increasing the amount of exercise they do, or decreasing their food.

Increased exercise

Taking your dog for a walk is a great way for them to get exercise while also stimulating their mind. if your dog needs to lose weight, you might want to go for longer or more frequent walks.

If your dog has no joint issues or injuries, you could also take them jogging with you. Swimming is great for dogs with arthritis if they get sore after walking. Ask your vet if you want to increase your dog’s activity levels as there are some considerations you need to be aware of depending on the age, breed and health status of your dog.

For cats, ensuring you set aside time each day to play with them will help them to increase their exercise. Toys that move will encourage your cat’s hunting instincts to come out.

But, we all know how lazy cats can be, so this will probably need to be done alongside a change in diet.

Reducing calories

Yes, dog and cat food can be calorie counted and you can usually find your pet’s ideal serving size somewhere on the packet of food.

Be mindful that serving sizes on dog and cat food is per day, so if it says 2 cups a day, that has to be broken up into however many meals you feed your dog.

You should also note that when trying to lose weight, you should be feeding your dog the amount based on the weight that they should be, not the weight they are. So, if your dog is 20kg and you want them to be 15kg, you should be feeding them the amount of food for the 15kg dog.

Monitor treats

Every calorie counts when you are trying to get your pet to lose weight. This means that those bones you give to keep your dog entertained or that sneaky piece of chicken you give to your cat off your dinner plate all contributes to your pet’s daily calorie intake.

You will need to take these into account when feeding your pet their regular means. This means reducing their normal meals when they’ve had treats, or increasing their exercise on the days they get extra treats.

You might be surprised at how much the pet equivalent of human food is.

Specially formulated pet food

To ensure your pet is getting a nutritionally balanced diet even when they are on a weight loss diet, we recommend a pet food like Hills that has a specially formulated recipe to help your pets lose weight through diet alone. Hill's® Prescription Diet® Metabolic pet food helps by working with your pets unique metabolism while helping them feel full & satisfied between meals.

While most of the time, weight gain is due to environmental factors, there is a chance that your pet has an underlying medical issue. So if you are worried about your pet’s weight, it’s always a good idea to talk to your vet about it.

If you think your pet might need help with weight loss, contact Doncaster Vet Clinic to learn more about how to keep your pet at a healthy weight.