How to implement and manage a weight loss plan

Managing overweight pets successfully requires veterinary staff to go beyond standard nutrition and physical activity to include an understanding of the human–animal interaction. An effective weight loss plan incorporates calorie restriction, appropriate diet selection, physical activity, and discussion and modification of behaviours of the pet and pet's family. When prevention is not enough, this article will address how to approach weight management in overweight pets.

After determining a pet is any body condition score (BCS) above ideal, a discussion with the pet owner is the initial step to educate the family that their pet is overweight, and emphasise the health consequences of that excess weight (Figure 1). In multiple studies, 39% of owners underestimated their pet's BCS, even after knowing the BCS their veterinarian assigned to their pet (Rohlf et al, 2010; White et al, 2011). Furthermore, another study showed that half of the owners who correctly identified their pets’ BCS score above optimal still did not consider their pet to be overweight (Bland et al, 2009). Veterinary nurses should be prepared that pet owners may not know or understand what optimal weight is in their pets. Asking open-ended questions about their pet's weight may elicit information about pet owners’ perceptions of their pet's weight and their knowledge about the consequences. In one study on pet obesity (White et al, 2011), owners frequently used narratives or personal stories to explain their pet's weight status. When asked open-ended questions, the pet owners answered with historical information (pet was previously even more overweight, so the owner now feels their pet is thin in comparison), or they described personal or emotional rationale (acknowledging the pet was overweight, but felt guilty that their pet would resent them for withholding treats). Pet owners’ descriptions about their pet's weight and possible consequences of the excess weight will help gain the owner's perspective and potential challenges to discuss. Examples of open-ended questions to ask are included in Box 1.