Overfeeding of pets a growing problem

Animates head groomer Liz Pine, weighing  dog Maggie, says overweight animals are a 'touchy...
Animates head groomer Liz Pine, weighing dog Maggie, says overweight animals are a 'touchy subject', but it is important to address it if the animal's health is compromised. PHOTO: ELEANOR AINGE ROY

Animal experts are concerned we are killing our pets with kindness, with one vet estimating more than 50% of pet dogs and cats are now overweight.

Vet and Otago Polytechnic lecturer Francesca Brown said overweight pets faced a ''tsunami of health issues'' and the problem appeared to be getting worse.

''We see a lot of owners bringing their pets in because they are concerned they are underweight, when in fact they are a healthy weight,'' she said.

''Fat has become the new normal.''

Marcus Wells, of Vets@StClair, agrees.

''The street aesthetic of dogs is at odds with the health data,'' he said.

''The main problem is that people are feeders by nature - they love seeing a happy dog and a happy dog can reliably be produced by adding food to the situation.''

Dunedin pet store Animates now has a weighing station for dogs that is free of charge, and a chart with pictures illustrating a healthy size and shape for dogs and cats.

Animates head groomer Liz Pine said overweight pets were a''very touchy subject'', though staff did try to talk with owners if they saw a significantly overweight animal. Miss Pine said she could tell by a dog's skin and coat condition if the extra weight was starting to seriously affect their health.

''Most dogs were bred for some form of work but modern dogs are mainly companions now, so they live very sedentary lives,'' Miss Pine said.

''But the problem is we still feed them the same amounts as if they were working, and they're not.''

Ms Brown believed pets were increasingly becoming ''part of the family'' and this fooled owners into thinking they should eat like the family too - partaking in frequent meals and snacks, and leftovers from the dinner table. She said owners should use the weight of their dog at age 2 (it is rare for a young dog to be overweight) to gauge the size they should be through their adult life.

''A dog that is constantly looking for food is probably bored and under-stimulated,'' Ms Brown said.

''Exercise your dog frequently and scatter or hide their food rather than serving it in a bowl. People think when they give their dogs treats they are being kind to them, but they're not. They are just setting them up for a lifetime of health problems.''

- By Eleanor Ainge Roy. 

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