The Overweight Patient

Obesity is considered the most prevalent nutritional disease affecting companion animals in the realm of gerontology and rehabilitation. The latest statistics have the overweight to obese status of the general population of dogs and cats in the United States, and likely Europe (depending on the country assessed), as high as 60% of all pets. As the leading health issue in companion animals, there needs to be more awareness around the human social implications of feeding our pets similar to how humans eat. The current companion animal food and treat industry has grown and owners feel that “food is love” and continue to indulge their pets out of kindness. The only way to combat this issue is through owner education regarding proper body condition scoring, as well as providing a better understanding of gerontology, and how inactivity may be contributing to this issue. Both feeding patterns and promoting activity are important aspects of wellness, particularly because obesity has been associated with worsening of other medical conditions that many pets suffer from.