Your cat or dog's weight is absolutely key to their health and well-being. We spoke to our vet, Dr Cooper, and asked her what she would advise to ensure your pet is at their optimal weight.

The dangers of an overweight pet

Dr Cooper is passionate about preventative health care and weight management is at the forefront of this as being overweight predisposes your cat or dog to so many otherwise avoidable health issues. The following conditions are common in overweight pets.

Joint problems

Carrying extra weight puts excess pressure on joints, causing many overweight pets to develop degenerative joint disease (arthritis) at an earlier age than pets who are a healthy weight.

Inflammatory conditions

Fat produces pro-inflammatory compounds that put your cat or dog at a greater risk of inflammatory conditions like joint disease and skin issues.

Higher blood pressure and kidney disease

Overweight pets’ hearts have to work hard to pump blood around the body so they often have increased blood pressure which puts them at risk of heart disease as well as kidney disease.

Diabetes

There is also a link between being overweight and diabetes and liver disease.

How to tell if your pet is overweight

Cats and dogs can easily be overweight. In fact, in Dr Cooper's experience, the majority of pets she sees are overweight and their pet parents are totally unaware of it. "There are many points I assess during a weight-management consult, but the easiest one for pet parents to monitor themselves is fat cover over the ribs. This is done by running your fingers/hands gently over your pet’s ribs. Each individual rib should be easily felt with minimal pressure. If you have to push down to feel the ribs or if you can’t feel them at all, this is a sign of being overweight."

What can you do?

The best thing to do is to get your vet to assess your pet’s body condition and determine what their ideal weight should be. This is an important factor in deciding how much and how quickly your pet needs to lose and from this an appropriate diet and exercise programme can be tailor-made for your cat or dog.

Choose the right diet

We have delved into the many aspects of pet nutrition here (read more). At Absolute Pets (in-store or online) we stock a wide range of have world-class, perfectly balanced diets, suitable for your cat or dog and particular to their size and breed. We also stock a whole range of foods especially for weight loss like the Eukanuba Weight Loss for Dogs and the Hills Science Plan Perfect Weight for Cats.

Consider also whether your cat or dog should be on any form of supplement such as a daily vitamin, supplements for allergies or joint care. The Herbal Pet range is certainly worth looking at. 

Get the right amount of exercise

Just as it is with humans, exercise is so important for cats and dogs. Find out more about pet exercise and consider investing in items such as a good lead, a set of balls, a frisbee or even a cat laser.

Book a check-up with your vet

If you are in any way concerned about your cat or dog's weight, book a check-up with your vet.

From the perfectly balanced diet to the right amount of exercise, we hope you will find what you need at Absolute Pets to inspire a more healthy and active way of life for your pets in 2017.