Fit or Fat? | Alicia Pet Care Center

It is estimated that 60% of cats and 56% of dogs in the United States are overweight or obese. The easiest way to tell if your pet has put on too many pounds is to visit us for a weight consult. However, we would like to empower you to check your pet’s Body Condition Score (BCS) at home. To assess their BCS, check the following:

1. Do a “rib check.” You should be able to easily feel your pet’s ribs under a thin layer of skin but not see any ribs. If there is some cushion between your fingers and their ribs, your furry kid is overweight.

2. Next, look at your dog or cat standing from the side. Their belly should be taught, tight, and trend upwards. If their belly is round or dips towards the ground, they are carrying too much abdominal fat.

3. Lastly, look down at your pet and you should notice an hourglass figure. If your furry loved one is more on the round side, he or she needs to lose weight.

Check out this website to learn more about BCS: The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center.

Images by Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center

If you feel like your pooch has too much of a pouch, please see us so we can help create a game plan for weight loss. The goals of losing weight are going to be ensuring that an appropriate amount of calories are consumed and they are exercising to help burn calories. This will encourage fat loss while preserving lean muscle mass. When pets properly lose fat and gain muscle, families often report an increase in activity levels and playfulness. Here are some ideas that you can do at home to help them shed the pounds:

1. Get them moving!

Even if it is an extra 5 minutes of walking, throwing a ball, or chasing a mouse on a stick, any form of exercise even in short durations initially will help. You can even have your dog chase a ball or your cat chase a red laser pointer while you are watching TV! We recommend gradually increasing their activity weekly. Aim for 30 minutes of activity a day to help them burn calories and get more fit.

You can put their food in a food puzzle toy. These toys will not only help your pet eat slower, many of these toys will also force them to move the toy around to get their food. This will help them get moving and will also engage them mentally and keep them busy. Just make sure that you have an appropriately sized toy that they can’t swallow.

2. Cut down on the human (and pet) treats! Did you know that 1 oz cube of cheese is equivalent to 1 and 1/2 cheeseburgers in a dog and 2 and 1/2 cheeseburgers in a cat? Yowza! We understand that food is love and it is hard to say ‘no’ to their sweet face but take a look at this website to learn more about what human foods do to pets.

3. Feed them the correct amount of calories per day. Since every pet is different, we recommend you work with a doctor to figure out the appropriate calories to feed. A good starting point, however, is to use this formula:

Divide your pet’s weight by 2.2. Multiply this figure times 30. Add 70 and you’ve got a general idea of how many calories you should be feeding a typical inactive, indoor spayed or neutered dog or cat. For example, a 10 pound dog or cat can eat [10lbs / 2.2) x 30] = 206 k/calories per day. It is imperative to note that each pet’s metabolism is different so be sure to consult your veterinarian before starting a diet.

In general, it is safe for your pet to lose 1% of their body weight per month until we reach a lean body condition. Please consult your veterinarian prior to implementing a major weight loss regimen. Losing weight is not easy or fast for pets, especially cats. If you put your pet on a crash diet, they can develop serious medical conditions, including a life-threatening form of liver disease that can occur in less than 72 hours. Patience is essential with pet weight loss. Most of our patients will need to lose weight gradually over the course of 6-12 months. We can help formulate a weight loss plan that is both safe and effective. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!

About The Author

Dr. Melissa Rellinger | I am so happy to be part of the Alicia Pet Care Center team where I can help your pets thrive! I have always loved animals and decided early on that caring for animals would be my lifelong commitment. I was very fortunate to grow up in both Southern California and the Philippines, as having lived in such distinctly different countries and cultures gave me a richness of experiences and a foundation of flexibility, openness, and wanderlust. My family is comprised of ardent animal lovers, so even though I grew up as an only child, I was always surrounded by dog “siblings.” Being around our pups helped cultivate feelings of compassion, empathy, and an urge to help them when they could not help themselves.

Learn more about Dr. Rellinger on the “Meet Our Doctors” page.