Weighty Issues: Pet Obesity

Obesity is one of the most common diseases that is identified in our companion animals. Yes, I said disease. Obesity is a disease that can greatly affect a dog’s or cat’s overall health and life-span. It is more than a cosmetic issue; it is a health-risk. The good news? Obesity is manageable, but not only that, it is preventable.

A dog or cat is classified as overweight when they weigh more than 10% of their ideal body weight; they are obese when they weigh more than 20%. Animals can be predisposed to obesity from a variety of factors, including genetics, neutering and endocrine disorders, but the most common cause of obesity is energy imbalance. Put simply, animals are often fed too much and exercised too little.

Cats and dogs that are obese have reduced quality of life and their life-expectancies can be greatly shortened. Furthermore, obese pets are at higher risk for many disorders, including:

• Cardiac disease
• Respiratory disease
• Osteo-articular disease
• Urolithiasis (urinary stones)
• Diabetes mellitus

But obesity is a touchy subject. In a world where the statistics involving human obesity is on the rise, many people are inclined to take any discussion regarding overweight or obese animals personally. The fact is, most vets are not being judgemental or mean when they diagnose a pet as obese or overweight; they have the pet’s best interests at heart. It is a medical fact, the same as diagnosing an animal with a fractured tooth or a broken leg or a heart condition. Similarly to those conditions, treating an animal’s obesity can greatly increase their life-span and make them more comfortable.

The problem with obesity is that it is not a curable condition. It is a chronic concern that will affect that pet’s entire life. An overweight animal can’t just start a diet, loose a few pounds and then go back to eating lots and exercising less. Obesity will recur, and many weight-loss programs must be maintained for life to keep an animal in ideal body condition.

In animals that are obese, simply cutting back on the current diet is not enough. Maintenance or even weight-control diets are not properly formulated for weight-loss. Severe restrictions of these diets can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies, not to mention hungry pets. To achieve healthy weight loss, animals need correctly-formulated calorie-controlled diets that make an animal feel full so there is less begging or food-stealing, which can be a hiccup in most weight-loss plans. Proper exercise is also very important and needs to go hand-in-hand with proper nutrition.

This may sound very complicated. Not to worry – this is why your veterinarian is here. We have access to all the latest research in nutrition, plus special diets that have been put through rigorous testing and formulating – and that we have seen WORK to achieve weight loss. We would love to help, and celebrate the victories with you!

Vanessa Tonn, DVM
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Pet Food Nutrition: the Truth About Corn

 

There has been an increasing trend in the movement of pet food companies to exclude ingredients like corn based on the perception that it is an undesirable ingredient. It has been described as an indigestible "filler" ingredient (ingredients that do not contribute to any nutritional or beneficial properties to a food) that leads to food allergies. The reality is that most concerns regarding corn are invalid.

Remember: true food allergies are uncommon in dogs and cats. It has been estimated that only 1% of all skin diseases can be attributed food allergies; more often flea-allergy dermatitis and atophy are responsible. Most gastro-intestinal conditions that respond well to diet changes are actually more food-sensitivities or intolerances to properties of the diet such as fat or fibre content.

Further more, corn is a rare cause of food allergies. More often, allergies occur to other ingredients including beef, dairy and chicken. In general, animal-based protein is more commonly a cause of allergies rather than plant-based ingredients.

So while there is little evidence to support the exclusion of corn, corn is also a source of essential nutrients. It contributes fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals and high-digestible carbohydrate to a diet. It is also one of the riches sources of linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid, and as such is not a "filler" ingredient.

When it is properly processed (ie: rolled, ground, flaked, cooked), corn's digestibility greatly increases. Whole ground corn cooked via extrusion (the way that most dry pet food is made) has been shown to have a digestibility of greater than 97% in dogs and cats!

Corn, like many other ingredients, has managed to develop a bad reputation based little on fact and more on myth. As always it is important to educate yourself on interpreting pet-food ingredients and marketing strategies, differentiating real information from hype. As always, your veterinarian can help you sort out fact from fiction when choosing an ideal diet for your pet.

Vanessa Tonn, DVM
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic