Obesity is the single biggest health issue facing domestic animals and can be regarded as a form of abuse, according to delegates at an international conference held recently in London. Dr Guy Fyvie, a local veterinarian invited to attend, warned “Obesity amongst pets in South Africa is at a similar crisis level”.

More than half (55%) of conference attendees said that they knew of a pet that had to be euthanased because it was suffering from an obesity related disease or was too obese for routine surgery. An earlier study1 has shown that the life of an over-weight dog is shortened by at least two years (equivalent to a life expectancy shortfall in humans of about 15 years). “An overweight animal is at higher risk of co-morbidities such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer which literally take years off its life,” said Dr Fyvie. “Furthermore the extra weight can cause arthritis and mobility problems that can be extremely painful.”

Load shedding takes on a whole new meaning when it applies to your pet. Putting your pet on a diet can add years to its life; a recent study has shown that a dog at optimum weight can outlive an overweight dog by two years1!  Other studies have shown that excess weight increases a pet’s risk of developing heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and even cancer.

“It’s difficult for owners to be objective,” says Dr Guy Fyvie, veterinary advisor at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. “Our research indicates that only 14% of cat owners & 13% of dog owners believe their pet to be overweight, but local vets say that up to 50% of animals they treat weigh more than is healthy.