Pudgy pets require diet and exercise

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Sally Squires - The Washington Post

The saying goes that pets look like their owners. These days, that old saw holds more truth as the obesity epidemic shifts to family pets.

Estimates are that 30 percent to 50 percent of dogs and cats are overweight or obese, making it "a very significant problem," says veterinarian Scott Alan Brown, head of the small-animal medicine department at the University of Georgia.

Born to be hunters and scavengers, dogs and cats today don't have to stalk prey or scrounge for a meal. "We see large numbers of domesticated pets being fed very high-quality food and living very sedentary lifestyles with very limited exercise," says Brown. "Quite honestly, it's analogous to what we see in the pet owners."

Lassie earned her chow by working the farm and rescuing Timmy. Pets now are "born retired," says veterinarian Marty Becker, co-author of Fitness Unleashed!: A Dog and Owner's Guide to Losing Weight and Gaining Health Together (Three Rivers Press; $13.95).

Becker says that after sleeping the day away alone at home, many animals spend their nights "collapsed in front of the television, watching Dancing with the Stars with their owners." Plus, he notes that the popular trend to neuter animals helps control their numbers but also decreases their daily calorie needs by about 5 percent.

Sluggish metabolism, inactivity and overeating not only add pounds but also take a health toll: Hefty dogs and fat cats are at an increased risk for type II diabetes, arthritis and cancer.

Because dogs and cats don't control their food and can't usually determine when and how they are active, the responsibility for excess pet pounds rests squarely with owners. One study of overweight pets found that half of their owners didn't identify the animals as weighing too much. "We think that an overweight dog is a normal body weight," Becker says. "There's no bikini season for dogs or cats. They don't try on a pair of pants and find that they're too tight."

So veterinarians say it's up to owners to learn how to monitor their pets' weight by sight, by touch and with weigh-ins four to six times per year. Dogs should have a slight indentation -- not quite a waist -- when they stand and are viewed from overhead. It should also be possible to feel -- but not see -- their ribs when their sides are touched.

Though it may be tempting to leave a big bowl of chow that can be eaten throughout the day, veterinarians say it's better to feed animals at regular times, either once or twice daily. Measure all food and avoid the temptation to add table scraps, which add calories and less-desirable ingredients such as sodium and sugar.

For the overweight animal, limit treats and gradually cut back on regular food -- either by portion control or by choosing a food that is lower in calories. Working with your veterinarian, aim for a safe, but slow, 1 percent to 2 percent weight loss per week. (It's especially important not to cut back suddenly on cat food, because doing so can produce a serious, and often fatal, liver problem.)

Regular exercise is also key to help cats and dogs maintain a healthy weight or lose extra pounds. Figure that dogs need to be walked "at least 15 minutes, twice a day," says Brown. "The more, the better."

Proceed gradually, however, in increasing physical activity for a dog that is middle-aged, sedentary or overweight. "They can become lame or sore, just like people," Brown says.

Getting fat cats to be active can be more challenging. So Becker advises dividing food into three or four portions and placing them in different parts of the house to help cats burn a few more calories. As he says, "put less food in their bowls and more miles on their feet."