By Vet Nurse Ayesha Watson
Weight can often be a difficult subject to broach with clients regarding their pet.
However, having that conversation can change an animal’s quality of life, relieve pressure on their joints and organs and extend their life expectancy.
Just 6 per cent weight loss can make a massive difference to an animal, and this can happen with just a few tweaks to an animal’s routine and diet.
Weight clinics involve a friendly but professional conversation looking at how we can alter daily routines to encourage weight loss to get them down to their optimal weight but at a healthy rate.
An animal will also be body condition scored (BCS) to determine how much weight needs to be lost. A few factors need to be considered when looking at an animal’s optimal weight, like their age. If an animal is classed as senior, it would be recommended to only lose 20 per cent body fat to prevent muscle wastage. This is why it is important to make sure an animal’s weight is maintained and monitored to prevent an animal being obese when in their senior years.
An animal’s diet needs to be considered and altered to make sure weight is lost instead of gained. To do this we need to make sure the animal’s calorie intake is modified to allow them to be in deficit to encourage weight loss.
Weighing the food out is also important to make sure the right amount of food is given to encourage accurate calorie intake daily. Nutritional content also needs to be considered when looking at diets.
High protein and fibre content is recommended to keep them fuller for longer and to maintain muscle mass. Sometimes changing a diet is needed to make sure correct nutrition is given allowing a balanced diet and good health.
Although exercise is important it only contributes to 5 per cent of the weight loss. We will look at an exercise routine to help encourage weight loss but we need to also consider the age of the animal and how much weight needs to be lost. Over exercised when overweight could put too much pressure on the joints or organs.
Photos and measurements around chest, waist and neck will also be taken to do a comparison throughout the weight loss journey and to really see the difference when the animal reaches their target weight. It is always lovely when clients feel that sense of achievement and see how they’ve helped their pet, and can see a difference it has made. Weight loss can be a long process but is always worth it.