My pet’s body Condition Score is a 7/9, now what?
Now that you have accessed your pet’s Body Condition Score (BCS) and determined they can benefit from weight loss, what’s the next step? Well we can help! Based on your pet’s medical history and diet preferences we can develop a tailored plan unique to your pet.
Bloor Animal Hospital Weight Loss Program:
- Based on your pet’s physical exam and medical history, a diet formulated for weight loss would be prescribed.
- Using your pet’s current weight, we will calculate exactly how much food your pet would need to eat every day, we can even include the occasional treat.
- Increasing exercise. We will provide tips to try to increase your pet’s activity level. The amount of activity will be determined based on how overweight your pet is. Avoiding injuries is paramount.
- Tracking: Once your pet is on the program it is important that we track their progress. Rechecking their weight at least every 4 weeks is crucial. This allows us to tweak their meal calculations or even the type of food they are eating. Not every diet works for every pet, it is not uncommon to have to try a couple different types to find the one that works best with their metabolism.
Weight Loss FAQ:
- Can’t I just feed less of my pet’s current food?
This is a common question. For successful weight loss we have to decrease the number of calories they are consuming. If we were to use a regular diet and just feed less, we would also be feeding less nutrience. This can lead to malnutrition and is a very unhealthy method of weight loss.
- How do weight loss foods work?
The Veterinary weight loss formulas we recommend work by lowering the calories, have increased fiber to help them feel full. Some formulas have increased protein or added supplements to maintain muscle mass. All are nutritionally balanced and proven to be effective if fed appropriately.
- Can’t I just feed the ‘Light’ version of their current food?
‘Light’ means there are less calories than the original formula. This is similar to a light cream cheese, although it has slightly less calories than the original, it is still high in fat and calories and not effective for weight loss.
- Can I still give treats?
Absolutely! During your consult we will discuss what treats you are currently giving and we will either incorporate those calories into their plan, or we can recommend an alternative.
If you would like to get started on your pets weight loss journey, we can help! Call us to schedule their weight consultation.
