So as part of our New Year resolutions, we should
look to assess the ‘fatness’ and ‘fitness’ of our pets
and get them back to their pre-holiday season best.
Is my pet overweight?
To tell if your pet could shed a few pounds, feel
around their ribs and spine. You should be able
to locate both easily, with only a thin layer of fat
separating the skin from the bones. If you can’t find
the ribcage, you have an overweight pet! Ideally you
should have a weight recorded from earlier in the
year, but if you don’t, contact us as we will often
have one stored on your practice record.
Once you start a weight control programme, it
is important to weigh your pet regularly, ideally on
the same scales each time (either at home or in
our surgery).
Am I making my pet fat?
Although some breeds are more prone to weight
gain, we should all ensure that WE are not the
cause of the problem. Christmas is often a time for
edible presents for the pets and owners, and these
(along with the leftovers) can add significantly to
the calorie intake for everyone in the house.
Starting the diet
After you’ve verified that your furry friend needs to
slim down, consider doing an honest assessment
of their daily intake, covering all food, treats and
snacks, including those given by other family
members, neighbours, etc. You may find that all
you need to do for weight control is to cut out
these ‘little extras’.
Well, Christmas is over for another year (thank goodness, you might say), but
with that comes the perennial problem of those extra pounds that have come
with the abundance of food and lack of exercise, both for us and our pets.
by
Niall Kenny
PhD VetMB MRCVS
Clyde Vets Ltd
control