Obesity affects over 50% of companion dogs and cats in developed countries. It causes chronic pain, reduces lifespan, and impairs quality of life, yet it is almost entirely preventable.
Companion animal obesity is a preventable welfare epidemic caused primarily by overfeeding and insufficient exercise. The chronic pain from obesity-related arthritis, the metabolic stress of diabetes, and the shortened lifespan represent significant welfare costs that owners can prevent. Accurate body condition assessment and veterinary nutritional guidance are the cornerstones of prevention and treatment.