It is often said that all things are relative to the eye of the beholder. Well as true as that may be, a 12kg Jack Russel or a 40kg Labrador is overweight no matter who the “beholder” is.

So when is a pet defined as being overweight? If your dog or cat is 10-20% over the breed specified weight then he is classed as being overweight. Should he be over 20% then the poor fellow falls into the realms of obesity which is an accumulation of excess body weight,

World-wide the number of overweight and obese family pets is rapidly on the increase. Four years ago approximately 45% of pet dogs where considered to be overweight. This figure has risen and today is sitting at 53%. Unfortunately a similar pattern has emerged in South Africa with over 50% of dogs seen by veterinarians being classified as overweight or obese.

The significance of us seeing our pets as a little chubby rather than admitting they that are overweight has numerous health consequences for our fur kids :-

• Damage to joints and ligaments
• Increased blood pressure and heart disease
• Difficulty breathing
• Decrease in liver function
• Digestive disorders
• Decreased immune function
• Skin and coat problems
• Increased risk of cancer
• Heat intolerance
• Decreased quality and length of life

These are just a few of the medical issues affecting pets that are overweight and each can have a traumatic impact on their existence. An increase in the number of dogs suffering from diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) has also been seen. Diabetes is a common complication in overweight animals and can be life threatening.

One of the major reasons why our fur kids become “chubby” is simply too much energy being consumed and too little being used up. Simply put, we over feed our pets both with the amount served at meal times and the number pf treats we give them. It is also worth remembering that the recommended daily quantities supplied on dog food packets are formulated on the assumption that the dog receives the correct amount of exercise relative to the breed.

If your dog goes for a 5 km jog with you every day then he may need a little more than what is indicated, however, if Fido spends the majority of the day sleeping on the patio lounger, then he is definitely not going to need as much. These days with our hectic schedules and life styles we often compensate a lack of interaction with our dogs by giving them chewy treats etc. to keep them occupied, which is also a contributing factor to weight issues – a maximum of 10% of our dogs dietary calories should be given in the way of treats.

It is clear that by allowing our dogs to become overweight we are affecting all aspects of their life, their general health and even their ability to play or interact with us. They also can become irritable due to pain or simply being uncomfortable.

So think carefully the next time those big pleading eyes say “please give me a treat” and rather reply with “let’s go play ball”

By Gordon, Trainer