As a nation of devoted dog and cat lovers, the health and happiness of our pets are key. Whilst caring for a valued and much-loved member of the family, all pet owners have the wellbeing of their animals at heart, but you may not be aware that over 50% of pets in the UK are overweight. How can pets have a healthy weight?
This is usually due to owners not knowing the ideal weight and food portion size for their pet’s individual breed and needs. Extra weight can cause unwanted risks to your cat or dog’s health and trigger diabetes and osteoarthritis, and ultimately, a shorter lifespan – so we spoke to the experts at Royal Canin to get some top tips on how to keep pets at their healthy best…
1. Spot the signs
On a physical level, your pet may look overweight or underweight. Can you feel their ribs easily using light pressure? Is their waist easily visible? Weigh your cat or dog then make a note so you can compare it next time. Your vet can also indicate a healthy weight and help you monitor it at future appointments to encourage necessary weight loss and maintain your pet’s optimum health.
2. Discover body condition scoring
Weighing your dog or cat isn’t the only way to check their general health. Body condition scoring is a tool created to help you understand their ideal shape, using prompts and physical checks you can carry out yourself. Similar to a human’s BMI, the scoring uses a 9-point system ranging from severely underweight at 1, to obese at 9. A well-proportioned cat or dog will have a score of 4-5 with ribs that can be easily felt with light pressure, a waist that can be seen from above and an abdomen that tucks up behind their rib cage when seen from the side. Royal Canin have created a handy tool to monitor a dog body condition score and a cat body condition score, where owners can answer a few short questions tailored to their pet’s breed to give you all the stats and information you’ll need.
Lindsay Calcraft VN CertCFVHNut, Royal Canin Weight Management Specialist, told HELLO! “the latest PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) report shows that there has been a rise in pet obesity as a direct result of lockdown and COVID-19. With already over half of the UK’s pets above ideal weight or having obesity, this increase is worrying. If you are concerned about your pet’s weight we strongly recommend you have a conversation with your veterinary practice for a Body Condition Score assessment. Many veterinary practices offer these free of charge and they can be done virtually. You can also gain invaluable advice on feeding and giving treats to your pet, helping you to keep your pet healthy.”
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