Obesity in pets

For dogs and cats, a 9 point body condition score (BCS) system is used to identify whether they are above their ideal weight status.{{cite journal |last1=Laflamme |first1=D.R |title=Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs |journal=Canine Practice |date=1997 |volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=10–15}} Scores 1-3 indicate 'too thin', 4 and 5 are 'ideal', 6 is 'above ideal', 7 is 'overweight' and 8 and 9 are 'obese'. There are numerous versions of the BCS chart available for use including 5-point and 7-point versions, however, the 9-point chart is the only version where the scores correlate with true body fat percentage measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans.{{cite journal |last1=Mawby |first1=D.I |last2=Bartges |first2=J.W |last3=d'Avignon |first3=A |last4=Laflamme |first4=D.P |last5=Moyers |first5=T.D |last6=Cottrell |first6=T |title=Comparison of various methods for estimating body fat in dogs |journal=Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association |date=2004 |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=109–114 |doi=10.5326/0400109|pmid=15007045 }}

Assigning a body condition score to a pet involves visual assessment and palpation of the animal to assess fat padding. An ideally conditioned dog should have a tapered waist when viewed from above and a clear abdominal tuck when viewed from the side. Ribs should not be visible, but ribs should be easily palpated with only a very thin layer of fat cover. Ideally conditioned cats will have a waist that can be observed behind their ribs, a slight fat pad over their ribs, and a minimal abdominal fat pad with no abdominal tuck.{{Cite web |access-date=February 8, 2023 |title=Feline Body Condition Score |url=https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Cat-Body-Condition-Scoring-2017.pdf |website=The World Small Animal Veterinary Association}}File:Canine Body Condition Score.png

These BCS methods are the most commonly used ways of diagnosing obesity in practice. Whilst they are not as accurate as performing DEXA scans that measure true body fat percentage, Body Condition Scoring is quick, non-invasive and requires no specialist equipment, just the scoring charts and a clinician. Similar systems exist for livestock.{{cite web |title=Body Condition Scoring {{!}} Animal Health and Welfare |url=https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/agriculture-natural-resources-and-industry/agribusiness-farmers-and-ranchers/livestock/animal-health-and-welfare/body-scoring |website=Government of Saskatchewan |language=en}} For horses there is the Henneke horse body condition scoring system.

Using weight alone is not a reliable tool for diagnosing obesity as individuals within a species and breed can vary significantly in their size. Weighing is still useful for monitoring changes and a gain in weight may be an indication of excess weight and should prompt assessing BCS. For dogs under a year there are Puppy Growth Charts{{cite web |last1=Waltham |title=Waltham Puppy Growth Charts |url=https://www.waltham.com/resources/puppy-growth-charts |website=www.waltham.com}} where weights can be monitored in relation to an average growth curve, this again helps to monitor whether weight is increasing more than expected and deviating from the average growth curve should prompt assessing BCS.

File:Heaviest pair of Labrador Retrievers in India ..jpg

Weight gain will occur when an animal is in a positive energy balance, meaning energy provided as calories in the diet exceed calories expended.{{cite book|last1=Case|first1=Linda|last2=Daristotle|first2=Leighann|last3=Hayek|first3=Michael|last4=Foess-Raasch|first4=Melody|title=Canine and Feline Nutrition: A Resource for Companion Animal Professionals|date=2011|publisher=Elsevier|page=59|edition=Third}} Evidence suggests that middle-aged cats and dogs, especially those between the ages of 5 and 10, may be at an increased risk of obesity.{{cite book|last1=Tilley|first1=Larry|last2=Smith|first2=Francis|title=Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline|date=September 29, 2015|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|page=960|edition=Sixth}} This is supported by studies showing that as cats age from 2 years to approximately 11.5 years of age their energy requirements decrease. Weight gain will occur if calories from the diet do not decrease with the animal's energy requirements.{{cite journal|last1=Laflamme|first1=Dorothy|title=Nutrition for Aging Cats and Dogs and the importance of Body Condition|journal=Vet Clin Small Anim|volume=35|issue=3|pages=713–742|doi=10.1016/j.cvsm.2004.12.011|year=2005|pmid=15833567}}

Obesity in pets is usually due to excessive food intake or lack of physical exercise.{{cite journal|last1=German|first1=AJ|title=The growing problem of obesity in dogs and cats|journal=The Journal of Nutrition|date=July 2006|volume=136|issue=7 Suppl|pages=1940S–1946S|pmid=16772464|doi=10.1093/jn/136.7.1940S|doi-access=free}}{{open acess}} Owners may view food as a way to reward and treat their pets, which contributes to overfeeding.{{cite journal|last1=Larsen|first1=JA|last2=Villaverde|first2=C|title=Scope of the problem and perception by owners and veterinarians|journal=The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small Animal Practice|date=September 2016|volume=46|issue=5|pages=761–72|doi=10.1016/j.cvsm.2016.04.001|pmid=27264053}} Pets confined to a house or small yard which are not regularly exercised are more prone to obesity.

The risk of obesity in dogs (but not in cats) can be related to whether or not their owners are obese. The main factor seems to be obese owners not walking their dogs as much.{{cite journal |vauthors=Nijland ML, Stam F, Seidell JC |title=Overweight in dogs, but not in cats, is related to overweight in their owners |journal=Public Health Nutr |volume= 13|issue= 1|pages=102–106 |date=June 2009 |pmid=19545467 |doi=10.1017/S136898000999022X |doi-access=free }}{{open access}}

In cats, neutering increases the risk of obesity, partly because the alteration in sex hormones after neutering lowers the basal metabolic rate, and partly because neutered cats have a reduced inclination to roam compared to non-neutered cats.{{cite book|editor1-last=Rand|editor1-first=J|title=Problem-based feline medicine|url=https://archive.org/details/problembasedfeli00acvi|url-access=limited|date=2007|publisher=Saunders Elsevier|location=Edinburgh|isbn=9780702024887|pages=[https://archive.org/details/problembasedfeli00acvi/page/n458 452]–455|edition=Repr.|chapter=Obesity}}

Weight management has two steps: weight loss and weight maintenance. In the weight loss phase, energy intake from food must be less than the energy expended each day. Achieving weight loss in cats and dogs is challenging, and failure to lose weight is common. If the animals themselves cannot control their own calorie intake, it is recommended that pet owners control the food amount given. Guidelines exist on energy allowances for animals of a given body weight.{{cite web |title=Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs |url=http://www.fediaf.org/self-regulation/nutrition.html |website=FEDIAF}}

Medical treatments have been developed to assist dogs in losing weight. Dirlotapide (brand name Slentrol) and mitratapide (brand name Yarvitan) were authorized for use in the EU by the European Medicines Agency for helping weight loss in dogs, by reducing appetite and food intake, but both of these drugs have been withdrawn from the market in the EU.{{cite journal|last1=German|first1=AJ|title=Weight management in obese pets: the tailoring concept and how it can improve results|journal=Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica|date=20 October 2016|volume=58|issue=Suppl 1|pages=57|doi=10.1186/s13028-016-0238-z|pmid=27766974|pmc=5073926 |doi-access=free }} The US Food and Drug Administration approved dirlotapide in 2007.{{cite journal | pmc = 2769592 | pmid=19885086 | volume=1 | issue=3 | title=Dirlotapide, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved first-in-class obesity drug for dogs-will humans be next? | year=2007 | journal=J Diabetes Sci Technol | pages=314–6 | last1 = Klonoff | first1 = DC | doi=10.1177/193229680700100301}} Up to 20% of dogs treated with either dirlotapide or mitratapide experience vomiting and diarrhea; less commonly, loss of appetite may occur.{{cite book|last1=Chandler|first1=MJ|editor1-last=Washabau|editor1-first=WJ|editor2-last=Day|editor2-first=MJ|title=Canine and Feline Gastroenterology|date=2012|publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences|location=London|isbn=9781437703023|page=395|chapter=Pharmaceutical therapy and weight loss}} When these drugs are stopped, the dog's appetite returns to previous levels. If other weight-loss strategies are not employed, the dog will again gain weight.

Compared to non-obese animals, obese dogs and cats have a higher incidence of osteoarthritis (joint disease) and diabetes mellitus, which also occur earlier in the life of the animal. Obese animals are also at increased risk of complications following anesthesia or surgery.

Obese dogs are more likely to develop urinary incontinence, may have difficulty breathing, and overall have a poorer quality of life compared to non-obese dogs, as well as having a lower life expectancy. Obese cats have an increased risk of diseases affecting the mouth and urinary tract. Obese cats which have difficulty grooming themselves are predisposed to dry, flaky skin and feline acne.{{cite book|editor1-last=Lappin|editor1-first=MR|title=Feline internal medicine secrets|date=2001|publisher=Hanley & Belfus|location=Philadelphia|isbn=9781560534617|pages=311–315|chapter=Obesity and polyphagia}}

In the United States, the prevalence of obese or overweight adult dogs is 23–53%, of which about 5% are obese;{{cite journal |author=Lund Elizabeth M. |title=Prevalence and Risk Factors for Obesity in Adult Dogs from Private US Veterinary Practices|journal=Intern J Appl Res Vet Med |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=177–86 |year=2006 |url=http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol4Iss2/Lund.pdf}} the incidence in adult cats is 55%,{{cite journal|last1=de Godoy|first1=MR|last2=Swanson|first2=KS|title=Companion Animals Symposium: nutrigenomics: using gene expression and molecular biology data to understand pet obesity|journal=Journal of Animal Science|date=June 2013|volume=91|issue=6|pages=2949–64|doi=10.2527/jas.2012-5860|pmid=23296821}} of which about 8% are obese.

In Australia, obesity is the most common nutritional disease of pets;{{cite journal |vauthors=McGreevy PD, Thomson PC, Pride C, Fawcett A, Grassi T, Jones B |title=Prevalence of obesity in dogs examined by Australian veterinary practices and the risk factors involved |journal=Veterinary Record |volume=156 |issue=22 |pages=695–702 |date=May 2005 |pmid=15923551 |doi= 10.1136/vr.156.22.695|s2cid=36725298 }} the prevalence of obesity in dogs in Australia is approximately 40%.

Pet owners in the UK have been prosecuted for cruelty to animals due to their pets being dangerously obese.{{cite book|last1=Boden|first1=E|last2=Andrews|first2=A|title=Black's Student Veterinary Dictionary|date=2017|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=9781472932037|pages=621|edition=22nd|chapter=Obesity}}

In the US, National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, is on the 14th of October.{{cite web|last=Shaw |first=Lorrie |url=http://www.annarbor.com/pets/pets-national-pet-obesity-awareness-day-dogs-cats-weight-manage-how-to-tips/ |title=Local vet weighs in on chubby pets on National Pet Obesity Awareness Day |publisher=Annarbor.com |access-date=2012-10-11}}{{cite web|last=Chion |first=Linda |url=http://brandon.patch.com/articles/is-your-dog-or-cat-too-fat-advice-on-pet-obesity-awareness-day |title=Is Your Dog or Cat Too Fat? Advice on Pet Obesity Awareness Day - Brandon, FL Patch |publisher=Brandon.patch.com |date=2011-06-29 |access-date=2012-10-11}}

• Meow (cat)
• Prince Chunk

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Category:Obesity

Category:Pets

Category:Animal diseases