Managing Obesity in Dogs

Introduction

Worldwide, 59.3% of pet dogs are overweight or obese, which puts them at risk of many diseases, including diabetes, respiratory conditions, arthritis, and even behavioral problems. Pet owners, however, often do not perceive their pet’s weight as a problem. And just over half of pet owners reported that their veterinarian regularly initiated a discussion about weight during their pet's annual visits.

To help manage a healthy weight in canine patients, consider the following actions:

Assess and monitor your patient's body condition during veterinary exams
Increase owner awareness of the importance of preventing and managing obesity early on
Recommend adjustments to the amount of food fed or a therapeutic weight loss diet

Read an overview of Obesity in Dogs and Cats.

Contributing Factors

Factors that increase the likelihood of a dog becoming overweight or obese include:

Excessive caloric intake
Sedentary lifestyle
Genetic predisposition to weight gain
Middle age
Neutering

Assessment, Evaluation, and Management Tools

Body weight alone is insufficient for determining and tracking a cat's body condition. We have developed several tools to help you identify body fat and muscle condition, as well as guide your nutritional recommendations. These tools include:

The Purina Body Condition Score (BCS) system is a visual and tactical method that can be used to monitor excess or inadequate body fat
The Muscle Condition Scoring (MCS) system is a practical, hands-on evaluation to monitor muscle mass
The maintenance energy requirements (MER) calculator helps to estimate a patient’s caloric needs based on weight, age group, BCS, and dietary goals

Communicating With Dog Owners

Clear explanations about health risks and the benefits of weight management help motivate clients to take action. To improve pet owners’ awareness of and involve them in monitoring their pet’s body condition, you may consider sharing these tools. For practical communication tips, refer to Engaging Clients Regarding Pet Obesity.

Weight Loss Diets

A successful plan to address obesity in cats includes tailored nutrition formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition with less caloric impact.

In dogs, the caloric restriction for gradual weight loss of 1-2% of body weight per week for dogs, which helps maintain lean body mass and mitigate rebound weight gain

And combined with a portion control and exercise plan, a therapeutic weight loss diet can help obese and overweight dogs reach a healthier body condition. Specific nutrients that are key in weight loss diets include:

Protein can help reduce oxidative stress, improve satiety, and positively affect metabolism
In a study, overweight dogs fed 30% or 39% protein diets lost approximately half as much lean body mass and more fat mass than the dogs fed a 20% protein diet
Fiber may reduce the metabolizable energy of a diet and improve satiety
Research has shown that the total daily calorie intake was significantly lower for dogs fed the high-fiber diet compared to low-fiber
Carnitine is an amino acid derivative that plays a key role in fat metabolism
Studies have shown that carnitine supplementation may help dogs preserve more lean body mass during weight loss
Soy isoflavones are natural compounds that can aid in increasing energy metabolism and lowering oxidative stress in dogs
When fed 25% above their maintenance energy needs, neutered dogs fed a diet enriched with isoflavones from soybean germ meal showed 50% less weight gain and reduced body fat accumulation compared to dogs fed similar amounts of a control diet

Combined with a portion control and exercise plan, a therapeutic weight loss diet can help obese and overweight cats reach a healthier body condition.