It's Diet Time!
A WHA Employee Shares Her Story and Advice

Did you know that your pet's extra pounds can lead to serious health risks such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and lameness? In some breed dogs, obesity can also lead to disc problems in their spine. I watched my Grandmother suffer from the complications of obesity when I was growing up and the thought that my Ruby could also suffer from a serious health problem was a wake up call for me. Any of the health issues from obesity can be costly to my cat's life and can be expensive to maintain.

Did you know that many things can contribute to obesity in pets such as diet, activity level, genetic and breed dispositions, age, social environment, and medications? Does this sound familiar? Human studies show that many of these things also contribute to obesity in humans!

You may be wondering how to tell for yourself if your pet is overweight. I found a helpful tool from Royal Canin's Weight Management Clinic to aid you. There is one for Dogs and Cats. You can also take your pet to your Veterinarian and ask his or her staff to assess your pet's body condition and you may even want to take your pet to your Veterinarian to confirm what the Royal Canin tool tells you.

You might be looking down at your pet while reading this and are thinking your pet is starting to look a little pudgy. First step to weight loss is to schedule an appointment with your Veterinarian. Why do this? Diets in pets need to be controlled. Switching foods and reducing foods too much might have an adverse affect on your pet's health.

When discussing your pet's weight, your Veterinarian will most likely recommend a blood test. A blood test may be helpful in diagnosing some underlying conditions and may have an influence on your pet's diet. Your Veterinarian will also look at your pet's medical history, activity level, age, diet, and social environment to come up with a diet plan that is tailored to your pet.

A Veterinarian may suggest a reduction in the amount of food and treats you give or may recommend special food in measured amounts. Increased activity may be suggested as well. A romp in a local dog park, a daily walk, enrichment toys, or something as simple as a treat ball that dispenses your pet's meal as he plays with it may be just what the doctor ordered. Ruby's food intake was reduced and I looked for some enrichment toys for her to play with. Ruby loves catnip mice, so I purchased a large container of catnip and filled it with assorted mice and cloth balls. I would put out a new mouse or ball every day for her to play with while I was at work. If I could find the toys when I got home, they would go back into the catnip tub. Not leaving the toys around the house all the time ensured that she would not get bored with them.

Your Veterinarian is a partner in your pet's weight loss plan. You may be asked to bring your pet in regularly for a weigh-in. This way your Veterinarian can monitor your pet's weight loss, assess how things are going, and can make adjustments to the diet if need be.

Don't give up, if you don't see improvement work to find a solution.  When Ruby wasn't losing weight, I was frustrated but then I found out that other family members were giving her extra treats and food. Once the whole family committed themselves to Ruby's diet, she began to lose that weight. My daughter helped out by initiating play with Ruby so that she could get some exercise in. We picked out a new toy for Ruby to play with; a pole and line that came with all sorts of attachments that we could change - different textured feathers, leather strings, and shiny strings. We found that she played longer if we changed the attachments when she got disinterested. Cats love laser pointers; hours of fun chasing that little red dot. Some dogs love playing with a laser pointer, too!

I am happy to report that my Ruby has successfully lost 4 pounds! It is so much easier to pick her up. She has so much energy now and often plays with my other cat, Charlie, again. It's a delight to see her bound up the stairs two at a time. I am so glad that I made the decision to help her lose weight.