Obesity affects over half of pet dogs and cats in many countries. It causes chronic pain, reduced lifespan, and significantly impairs quality of life.
Companion animal obesity is a welfare emergency hiding in plain sight. Overweight pets carry excess weight through every movement — chronic joint pain, respiratory effort, and heat intolerance are constant companions. Yet owners often interpret their obese pet's reduced activity as contentment rather than pain-limited movement. Veterinarians face significant communication challenges: discussing pet obesity requires sensitivity to owner emotions and avoidance of blame, while still conveying urgency. The welfare intervention is clear and achievable — measured feeding, reduced treats, appropriate exercise, and regular BCS assessment — but requires sustained owner behaviour change. Veterinary practices that implement systematic weight monitoring and follow-up achieve much better outcomes than one-time advice.