Companion Animals

Companion Animal Obesity Prevention and Welfare

Obesity is the most common preventable health problem in companion animals, causing chronic pain, disease, and shortened lifespan.

Key Facts

An estimated 56% of US dogs and 60% of cats are classified as overweight or obese
Obese dogs have lifespans up to 2.5 years shorter than lean counterparts
Excess weight causes or worsens arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory problems in companion animals
Many owners of obese pets do not recognize their animal as overweight due to normalization
Veterinary body condition scoring provides an objective welfare assessment tool independent of owner perception

Welfare Considerations

Companion animal obesity causes chronic pain and disability that profoundly reduces quality of life. Animals cannot communicate their discomfort from excess weight directly, and behavioral changes from pain are often misattributed to aging rather than obesity. Weight management through appropriate feeding and regular exercise is one of the highest-impact welfare interventions available to companion animal owners.

What You Can Do

Ask your vet to body condition score your companion animal at every visit
Measure food portions accurately rather than eyeballing or free-feeding
Provide species-appropriate daily exercise for your companion animals year-round
Use veterinary advice on target weight and feeding amounts for your specific animal
Reduce treat calories from daily food allowance rather than adding them as extras