The growing epidemic of pet obesity, its welfare impacts, and evidence-based strategies for prevention and healthy weight management in companion animals.
Pet obesity represents a major and growing welfare crisis. Excess weight causes chronic pain, reduces mobility, and shortens lifespan, yet it is often invisible to well-meaning owners who equate food with love. Prevention is far easier than treatment and involves appropriate portion control, limited treats, regular exercise, and routine veterinary weight checks. Veterinary practices increasingly use body condition scores to track weight and provide nutritional counselling to owners.