Weighing in on obesity: prevention, treatment and management
Abstract
Obesity is a common health problem in companion animals, with almost half of dogs and cats being overweight or obese. Obesity can lead to many diseases and worsen others. Clinically, obesity may increase medical costs to owners and may increase risk of complications from anaesthesia or medication dosing. Treatment of obesity is a multiphase process: first, an initial assessment; second, developing a plan that includes proper diet selection, adequate caloric restriction, and exercise if possible; and finally, intensive follow up and ongoing assessment. Successful weight management can be challenging and requires understanding of the complex relationship between owners and their pets. Client communication is therefore crucial for compliance. Obesity is more easily prevented than treated and the veterinary nurse can play an important role in educating clients about proper body condition at new puppy and kitten visits, and reassessing body condition at yearly wellness visits.
Obesity is one of the most common health problems affecting the pet dog and cat population, with an estimated 34–59% of dogs (McGreevy et al, 2005; Lund et al, 2006; Courcier et al, 2010a) and 25–39% of cats (Scarlett et al, 1994; Lund et al, 2005; Colliard et al, 2009; Courcier et al, 2010b) being overweight or obese. The most common and clinically applicable method of diagnosing obesity is a body condition scoring (BCS) system (Figures 1 and 2). A nine-point, five-point, or lettering system can be used, as long as all staff within a clinic are using the same system consistently. BCS should only be used to assess body fat, while muscle condition scoring should be used to quantify muscle wasting (for example, an obese pet, with a BCS of nine on a nine-point scale, could also have severe muscle wasting) (Figure 3). Each BCS is generally defined as a 10% increase or decrease from ideal bodyweight. While definitions of obesity vary overweight is generally considered 10–20% above optimal bodyweight (BCS of six to seven) and obese as 20% or more above optimal bodyweight (BCS of eight to nine). Bodyweight, BCS, and muscle condition scoring are a standard part of every physical examination and should be documented in the record at every visit.
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