B.C. clinic helps pudgy pets shed excess pounds

A Quesnel, B.C., animal hospital is offering a new weight loss program to help overweight dogs and cats shed extra pounds.

According to veterinary assistant Victoria Malone of theDragon Lake Veterinary Hospital, it is not uncommon to see overweight pets walk through the door because they have been overfed.

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"Evolutionary conditioning is to eat when food is available," Malone said. "You place a dish of food down in front of your dog and it just gobbles it all up and starts looking for more."

She estimates more than 50per cent of all animals hospital staffsee are overweight to some degree.

Carrying around excess weight is not only uncomfortable for pets, but can also lead to long-term health concerns.

Much like humans, overweight and obese pets are at higher risk of developing conditions like arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and chronic inflammation.

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"Often the perception is a fat animal is a cute thing and we're trying to raise awareness about how serious this issue is," Malone said.

Malone suspects the increasing prevalence of pudgy pets is skewing people's perceptions of healthy weights for cats and dogs.

"When we start seeing more and more overweight pets, people start seeing that as normal."

Pet owners, including people who are not clients of the hospital, can sign up for a complimentary consultation with staff.

They will be shown how to tell if their pet is overweight and be given tips on portion control for meals and treats.

Malone and her colleagues will meet regularly with the pet owners to track the animal's progress over the course of the six-month program.

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In an effort to get the pets moving, they are also organizing a walking group for participating dogs and their owners.

Getting cats active can bemore challenging.

"Most cats don't want to walk on a leash," Malone said.

All participating dogs and cats will pose for before-and-after photos to show off their progress.