Obesity in companion animals

摘要

Mairead Leahy MVB.Arra Veterinary Clinic in Tipperary, discusses Operation TransFURmation, which she launched to actively educate and raise awareness among clients, of pet obesity.It is estimated that almost half of all dogs and cats are overweight or obese. According to a study carried out by the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), around nine out of 10 owners give pets treats, even though 91% know the resulting obesitycan reduce their animal's lifespan. The charity said it was due to owners sharing their own unhealthy eating habits with their pets in a 'well-intentioned but misguided attempt to make them happy'. When we see a dog that is overweight, we essentially should see a child that is at risk of gaining excess weight too. If we think about the lifestyles of many of our young people, we can readily see how their pets are emulating those lifestyles. If a child is playing video games all day, the dog isn't outside playing. Rather, the pet is sitting with the child on the sofa. If the child is lying around snacking on high-calorie treats, chances are the dog is sharing those same calories - and is also likely to get something from the dinner table.