Obesity in Pets



 (Images from the internet)

More than 70% of pets in India are obese. The reasons can be many. We love to pamper our pets, and pampering them with their choicest food comes easy. I've personally encountered cases where pet dogs have become 'addicted' to potato chips and cola drinks, and then I've also seen some pet dogs succumb to obesity. I'm reminded of a bull-mastiff named Max. True to his name, Max was huge and fat. As he grew fatter, he turned lethargic and inactive. He was under four years of age when he died. Not just chips and cola drinks, there is an entire arsenal of 'carb-bombs' viz. ice-creams, sherbets, chocolates, sweet-meats, candies and what not that pets might be given to. If pets are being offered home-made meals, it's very important to keep a track of the energy content of the diet. Commercial pet-foods make this job way more easier but weigh more on the pocket. From a rather biased point-of-view, there is absolutely no reason why commercial pet-foods should be preferred over home-made diets. I'll discuss the merits and de-merits of commercial versus home-made pet-foods at some other point of time.

Whether it is an ill-planned diet or a flurry of 'carb-bombs', proper exercise will almost always keep your pet fit. Exercise is important. Exercise is crucial!

If you have a dog or cat, 80% chances are that it belongs to a medium- or large-sized breed. That is because, most breeds fall in these size categories. A medium sized breed requires not less than 30 minutes of good exercise per day. For a large breed, add another 10 minutes.

Good exercise means 'good exercise'. Taking your dog out for a slow stroll to the market (not to forget the 'carb-bombs' at the market) does not count whatever the distance may be. Dogs and cats were not meant to stroll -- they are flying species sans wings. Make the 30 (or 40) minutes count. Most importantly, there is no substitute for exercise. Cutting upon the diet seems an easy way out but that also means cutting upon essential micro-nutrients, inevitably leading to other complications.

We, veterinarians, express body condition of pets on a scale of 1-5. I have a nice anime (.swf file format) that helps one to assess the body condition of an animal. Using it, you could yourself determine the body condition score (BCS) of your pet and tell if it is obese. Sadly, this site would not let me upload it here. However, if you are interested, you can send me a mail (vetchums@gmail.com) and I'll send it to you for free.

To conclude, obesity is common in pets. As a pet-owner, it is one's responsibility to be aware and responsive to such problems. Good nutrition and proper exercise go hand in hand to address obesity.