Obesity in companion animals is preventable and causes significant welfare harm, but requires both owner education and veterinary leadership to address effectively.
Companion animal obesity is a preventable welfare problem of significant scale. Overweight pets experience joint pain, reduced exercise tolerance, breathing difficulties, and shortened lifespans. The welfare harm is chronic and insidious — accumulating over years without dramatic acute events that would alert owners. Owner perception of healthy weight is frequently skewed toward overweight norms, so veterinary leadership in providing objective body condition assessment is essential. Practical guidance on portion measurement and appropriate caloric targets, combined with regular monitoring, enables most owners to achieve and maintain healthy weight in their animals.