What to do if your dog or cat is overweight?

Around 46% to 50% of Dutch dogs are overweight. About 8% of them suffer from severe obesity. For cats, estimates range from 33% to over 50%. According to the university, around 10% of cats fall into the severe obesity category. This can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and joint problems. It is therefore essential not to overfeed your dog and/or cat and to ensure that he or she exercises enough to prevent overweight. In addition to sufficient exercise, it is important to give your dog or cat suitable food if he or she is overweight. This means low in calories and fat, but high in healthy proteins and fiber.

How does overweight develop?

• "Invisible problem" (not seeing the overweight or refusing to see it), spoiled behavior, type of food (carbohydrates and fats?), too much food, extra treats, giving table scraps or leaving food out all day. Often, the mistake is that food is a kind of communication tool for the owner with their pet.
• Less and/or too little physical activity.
• Age. Older dogs and cats are often less active and therefore need less energy.
• Predisposition of certain breeds. Some breeds have a hereditary predisposition: they burn fewer calories, store fat faster, or have a stronger appetite. In dogs, these include the Labrador and Golden Retriever, Beagle, Cocker Spaniel, Basset, Dachshund, Pug, Cavalier, English Bulldog, Shih Tzu, Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie), and Newfoundland. Mixed breeds with these ancestors are often also predisposed. Cats generally become overweight more easily than dogs, especially after neutering. Certain breeds stand out: European Shorthair, British Shorthair, Persian, Ragdoll, Maine Coon, and Norwegian Forest Cat.
• Sterilization and neutering. The metabolism changes after this, and it is important to adjust the nutritional needs accordingly (give about 15% less food).
• A medical problem. Certain diseases can cause overweight, such as Cushing's disease (an adrenal gland disease) and certain thyroid conditions.
• Medications such as epilepsy medications and corticosteroids.

The health risks

Just like in humans, overweight significantly shortens an animal's lifespan (by an average of 2 years). It increases the chance of:

• Diabetes (especially in cats)
• Arthritis and joint wear due to overuse
• Heart and respiratory problems

What to do about overweight?

In the case of an overweight dog or cat, the golden rule is: fewer calories in, more calories out. This must always be done gradually to prevent health risks, such as fatty liver in cats.

Here is the concrete step-by-step plan to help your pet lose weight responsibly:

1. Strictly adjust the diet

• Weigh the food: Use a digital kitchen scale. A measuring cup is too inaccurate and quickly leads to 10-20% too much food.
• Choose suitable food: Switch to suitable food, such as our BF^® Weight Control & Sterilised 32/8, BF^® Control Mini 34/12 for the dog and BF^® Control Urinary 36/12 for the cat. Special food with a balanced 'weight control' formula: high in protein and fiber, low in calories and fat. Our Control food contains many healthy proteins, which helps burn fat instead of fat-free body mass, thereby preventing muscle breakdown. The many fibers in the food provide a feeling of satiety, support weight loss without hunger, and promote healthy bowel movements. L-Carnitine stimulates fat burning and protects the muscles. In addition, yeast, fiber, and prebiotics support digestion, while salmon oil, glucosamine, and chondroitin promote mobility. The high acceptance of the food ensures that even picky eaters will enjoy it. If your dog prefers kibble, we recommend the Geperst Adult 25/8 or Geperst Senior 18/12. With the Control food, your dog or cat maintains a smoother target weight even when the dog or cat has a lower energy requirement.
• Provide a feeling of satiety with wet food: Replace (part of) the dry kibble with high-quality wet food. Wet food contains relatively few calories per gram compared to dry food, which is ideal against the feeling of hunger during weight loss.
• Introduce organic wet food menus: Products such as the complete, tasty BIOFOOD Organic Menu variants for dogs and cats are low in calories and enriched with organic vegetables and herbs. This ensures extremely high acceptance in difficult or picky dogs and cats, without having to add unhealthy fats or snacks.
• Combine smartly and consciously: Low-calorie products such as BIOFOOD Organic 100% Chicken or Beef offer pure, organic meat. This is excellent to combine with kibble, but pay attention: because it is pure meat, you must proportionally reduce the amount of kibble that day to keep the calorie balance tight.
• Research shows that probiotic bacteria have positive effects on the health of dogs that eat high-calorie food. BF probiotic tablets offer the necessary support for cats and dogs. More information about the research: Study explores role of gut bacteria in development of obesity in dogs | PetfoodIndustry    
• Choose easily digestible meat food: Steamed meals such as the BF^® Petfood Meat Food for the dog are rich in fresh meat, fresh fish, and natural herbs. These gluten-free and extremely tasty meals are ideal to use as a soft, easily digestible meal. Due to the high quality of the proteins, it helps maintain muscle mass during weight loss, while keeping fats limited.
• Cut out extras: Stop immediately with table scraps and snacks. Still want to reward? Go for low-calorie snacks (such as meat bars) and take into account the daily amount of kibble, or use part of the daily kibble as a reward.
• A lick mat ensures that a dog or cat is mentally stimulated and he or she has to exert more effort when eating.

2. Introduce more exercise

• For dogs: Gradually extend walks. Choose straight-line movement more often (walking, walking next to the bike) instead of chasing balls wildly, to spare the overloaded joints. Swimming is also an excellent, injury-free option.
• For cats: Challenge your cat at least twice a day for 10 to 15 minutes with fishing rods, lasers, or hidden toys.
• Food enrichment: Let your animal work for its food. Use food balls, lick mats, snuffle mats, or food puzzles. This stimulates exercise and prevents gulping.

3. Professional guidance

• Go to the veterinarian: First have your animal checked by a professional. Many animal clinics have a free 'weight loss mailbox' or weight consultants.
• Set a goal: A dog or cat may lose a maximum of 1% to 2% of body weight per week. Losing weight too fast is dangerous.
• Weigh weekly: Keep track of the progress on a fixed day and adjust the amount of food if the weight loss stagnates.

An act of love.
You may find it sad to give your pet less, but you are giving something priceless in return: a longer, pain-free, and more energetic life. A healthier weight means less pressure on the joints, more playing fun, and on average two extra years together.

The three golden rules for success:

• Be consistent: A strict routine in weighing and exercise always wins over the pleading eyes of your animal.
• Involve the whole family: The weight loss plan only succeeds if no one secretly gives extra snacks.
• Celebrate the small successes: Every lost gram is a step closer to a vital pet. Willpower and patience are your best tools in this.

In our shop you can see under 'Problem & Advice' which food is suitable for your dog and/or cat with overweight or to stay on weight. Overweight in dog and cat: recognize the signs – BF Petfood

For more information email: info@bfpetfood.nl or use the contact page.