Last week Kimba came in for one of her yearly shots. Nowadays, her owner always asks to have Kimba weighed, no matter the purpose of the visit.

Kimba is a wire-haired crossbreed. It’s difficult to determine what breeds she originates from since her body and coat are reminiscent of an Airedale, yet her head is that of a pointer.

Notwithstanding, she is a very well-proportioned and good-looking dog. But five years ago, Kimba was extremely overweight. Reviewing her medical record, her weight at the time was 28 kilos. Taking into account her small build, this meant she was 60 per cent over her ideal bodyweight. In short, she was severely obese.

Obesity is dangerous, as it can lead to many health problems as well as exacerbate existing health issues. Cardiac diseases, respiratory disorders, diabetes and orthopaedic injuries such as rupture of the cruciate ligaments are among the most common medical problems we encounter in such cases.

Most importantly, obesity reduces the life expectancy of a dog’s life; witnessing the early demise of pets is particularly poignant when it transpires that obesity-induced death is due to the misguided love lavished by owners on their pets.

Unless there is a medical condition for a pet to put on weight, it invariably happens because of an excess of food and insufficient exercise. It is more common in dogs aged five to 10 years, as well as those that have been neutered.

A dog’s spine should not be easily felt when you pass your hand along its back and the ribs should be visible only when it inhales

Indoor dogs, such as lapdogs, are even more at risk of becoming obese. There is no miracle formula that will tell you exactly how much to feed your dog since no two dogs are exactly alike in terms of lifestyle, temperament, metabolic rate or activity. Yet, it is very simple to learn how to look at your dog and determine its condition.

Given that there are some breed type differences, a dog’s spine should not be easily felt when you pass your hand along its back and the ribs should be visible only when it inhales. Looking at your dog from the side, the belly profile should have an upward tuck behind the chest and, seen from above, there should be a clear narrowing at the waist.

Assessing the visibility of the spine, ribs and waist is known as body scoring your dog. Collectively, they are assessed as ranging from one to five, with the former being extremely thin, the latter being extremely overweight and three representing the ideal weight.

If there is a weight problem, food quantity is the first thing to review and reduce. With dogs that are accustomed to eating continuously, it may be a good idea to offer three smaller meals rather than reduce to just one daily meal.

There are also some commercial dog foods and prescription diets (available from veterinary surgeons) that are based on high-fibre diets or made from special ingredients that promote weight loss. If you prefer to feed your dog home-cooked food, you would need to reduce the carbohydrate content (rice or pasta) and increase the vegetable portion of the diet to increase the fibre content.

Irrespective of whether you decide to feed your dog home-cooked food or a commercial diet, the food needs to be of good quality and well balanced. Treats, if any, need to be minimal and as natural as possible and should be taken into account as part of the dog’s overall dietary consumption.

Exercise is essential for a healthy life and goes a long way towards helping you maintain your dog’s ideal weight. This needs to be regular and built up gradually. In general, your dog may need one to two hours of exercise a day and this may vary depending on age and breed. Remember no two dogs are the same, so you need to be alert for any signs of excess such as heavy panting or lameness.

There are many ways to exercise your dog: walking, running, playing fetch or going to a dog park. Avoid outdoor activities on very hot days and make sure you have fresh, clean water available. Swimming in those places where it is allowed is certainly an option for the hot summer months.

There are also a number of specific medical conditions that may be the cause of weight increase, the most important being hormonal imbalances caused by hypothyroidism, which slows down the metabolic rate, as well as hyperadrenocorticism, commonly known as Cushing’s disease.

These are conditions your vet will take into consideration when body scoring your dog during a routine or specific weight-control examination.

Kimba had a body score of five when we started her on her weight-control programme. But after placing her on a strict diet and gradually increasing her daily exercise, she managed to reach her ideal weight of 17.5 kilos within about six months.

She responded very well to her weight-control programme, which included a prescription weight-loss diet and an ongoing weight-maintenance diet. After reaching her ideal weight, she was also neutered.

Her owner tells me time and again that when she is out on her daily walk strangers often compliment him for having such a fine-looking dog.

thisweekwiththevet@gmail.com

Dr Martin Debattista is a veterinary surgeon.

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