Managing obesity in dogs and cats
We all know that through the winter months it can be hard keeping the weight off, the same goes for our furry companions. Obesity in dogs and cats is one of the most common conditions presented in veterinary practices all over the country. However, with the right support from your veterinary team and the right diet, obesity can be managed and even prevented for those predisposed.
Weight clinics are a fantastic way to support healthy weight loss for your pet, carried out by our team of Registered Veterinary Nurses. When starting your pet’s weight loss journey it is ideal that they are weighed and measured fortnightly and when we see the numbers going down we can reduce this to monthly.
Alongside weight clinics, a weight specific diet can really aid in success. At Station House Vets we are strong advocates for Hill’s Canine Metabolic food. It is a complete diet clinically proven to help reduce weight and manage your pet’s appetite.
I am lucky enough to have helped many pets get back into shape and one particular labrador, Bonnie has to be one of my proudest achievements yet. Bonnie, like many dogs suffers from canine arthritis and prior to weight loss struggled with her mobility. Reduced mobility and weight gain go hand in hand, Hill’s offer a Metabolic and Mobility diet with ingredients designed to reduce joint inflammation. With a combination of veterinary treatment, a tailored diet plan and super star owners, Bonnie managed to lose over 8kg and was nominated for Hill’s Pet Slimmer of the Year Award 2022.
Veterinary staff are also not immune to overweight pets. Since having my dog Pudding neutered he started to live up to his name. I was definitely in denial for a while but soon noticed, after his help cleaning up my children’s tea, he was overweight and something had to be done. Neutered specific foods can be a great compromise for pets verging on obesity as they have reduced calories whilst also being a tasty complete diet.
Life gets busy sometimes and it really can be hard thinking about our own diet let alone our pets. Rest assured we are here to support you. Spoiling our pets with treats is lovely but the kindest thing we really can do for them is to keep them healthy and weight management is a great place to start!
Written by Lauren Holmes, our RVN
To book an appointment with one of our nurses to start your pet on their weight management journey, give us a call on 01653 618303.