Obesity is the most common preventable welfare problem in companion animals in developed countries. Understanding its causes and consequences helps owners make welfare-positive choices for their pets.
Companion animal obesity causes chronic welfare harm through multiple pathways. Joint pain from carrying excess weight reduces mobility and activity, causing discomfort in routine movement. Reduced exercise capacity limits normal behaviour including play, exploration, and social interaction. Metabolic diseases including diabetes require painful management procedures. Heat tolerance is reduced in obese animals, increasing risk of heat stress. The welfare impact extends throughout daily life rather than representing an acute event. Despite this, obesity is normalised in many pet-owning communities where overweight animals are perceived as healthy. Owner education through veterinary practice visits offers a high-impact opportunity to improve companion animal welfare at scale.