With
the holidays now behind us, many of us have realized we gained a few
pounds over the last few months! Maybe we indulged a little too much at
all the parties and get togethers with family and friends. Maybe there
were a few too many convenience meals while we were traveling from
place to place. Maybe we snacked on a few too many left over treats
while binge watching our favorite TV shows on Netflix and Hulu during
the recent snow storms. Maybe we were just too busy to make it to the
gym but all the running around shopping for gifts made up for it right?
Hmm. Maybe not.
Maybe when you noticed that you gained a little
weight, you also noticed that your dog and cat gained a few more pounds
too! Awww! Now they are so cute and chubby and round!
Unfortunately, just like carrying extra weight is not good for us, it is also not good for our pets. Those extra pounds add up much faster for them than they do for us, especially for smaller pets. Extra weight can make breathing problems in brachycephalic pets worse. It can put extra strain on joints, making arthritis and hip or elbow dysplasia worse. Chubby pets have less stamina and will become tired much more easily. This may lead to more irritable behavior. It can also effect their heart and blood pressure. Obese pets can even develop diabetes and heart disease.
When it comes to grooming, that little extra weight can become a big problem for both the pet and the groomer. Overweight pets are much less likely to stand up or stand still for their groom. This leads to the groomer constantly lifting the pets’ hind end in an effort to get them to stay standing or moving a constantly shifting pet back to a correct position. Not only can this make the pet cranky, but depending on how large the pet is, it can really hurt a groomer’s shoulders or back over the course of the groom. Fatigue will quickly set in for both parties, making them even crankier! The increased stress on their joints can make things like sanitary trims or nail trims extremely uncomfortable or even dangerous. An overweight pet is also more prone to injury themselves. They are much more likely to twist an ankle stepping out of the tub or off the table. They are at risk for torn ligaments or pulled joints at the same time. Simply lifting a hind leg for a nail trim puts them at risk for strains and sprains. Should an injury like this happen, the groomers now have to have an uncomfortable conversation with you, the pet’s owner.
Over the years, people have been conditioned to view overweight and obese pets as cute. There are web pages and Facebook groups dedicated to these “chonky” creatures. People brag about how “loved and spoiled” their pets are. Sadly, food does not equal love. We all know our pets, especially our dogs, love treats! Just like many humans, the worse the treat is for their health, the more they love it! I’m guilty! I absolutely love my cookies, ice cream, and chocolate! Wild Skookum loves potato chips. Shaak Ti loves buttered popcorn. All three cats love cheese. I once thought Jerreth AKA Boober AKA Super Duper Uber Boober, my 10 year old cat, was having a joy induced seizure over whipped cream (also called Kitty Crack in my home) because he was so excited he could barely stand up! It is absolutely adorable watching them freak out for their favorite treats. It is also super easy to allow them to over indulge in the process. We are now all so used to equating treats with love and seeing the overweight pets as a result that when many people see a pet with a healthy weight, they think the pet is starving.
If we ever tell you that Fifi seems to be gaining a little weight, please know that we are not judging you or Fifi! We know that sometimes owners don’t notice the slow changes since they see their pets every single day. The groomer is more likely to notice since we see Fifi once every 4 to 6 weeks. We mean nothing by it when we tell you. We simply want to bring it to your attention before the problem is out of control. We want Fifi to remain comfortable and healthy for her grooming!
If you ever have any concerns about your pet’s weight, please talk to your veterinarian. They can help you figure out the best way to help Fifi drop a few pounds. Quite often it is simply a matter of increasing exercise while reducing the extra treats. Maintaining a healthy weight will not only make grooming more comfortable, it will help your pet live a longer, healthier, more active life!
Unfortunately, just like carrying extra weight is not good for us, it is also not good for our pets. Those extra pounds add up much faster for them than they do for us, especially for smaller pets. Extra weight can make breathing problems in brachycephalic pets worse. It can put extra strain on joints, making arthritis and hip or elbow dysplasia worse. Chubby pets have less stamina and will become tired much more easily. This may lead to more irritable behavior. It can also effect their heart and blood pressure. Obese pets can even develop diabetes and heart disease.
When it comes to grooming, that little extra weight can become a big problem for both the pet and the groomer. Overweight pets are much less likely to stand up or stand still for their groom. This leads to the groomer constantly lifting the pets’ hind end in an effort to get them to stay standing or moving a constantly shifting pet back to a correct position. Not only can this make the pet cranky, but depending on how large the pet is, it can really hurt a groomer’s shoulders or back over the course of the groom. Fatigue will quickly set in for both parties, making them even crankier! The increased stress on their joints can make things like sanitary trims or nail trims extremely uncomfortable or even dangerous. An overweight pet is also more prone to injury themselves. They are much more likely to twist an ankle stepping out of the tub or off the table. They are at risk for torn ligaments or pulled joints at the same time. Simply lifting a hind leg for a nail trim puts them at risk for strains and sprains. Should an injury like this happen, the groomers now have to have an uncomfortable conversation with you, the pet’s owner.
Over the years, people have been conditioned to view overweight and obese pets as cute. There are web pages and Facebook groups dedicated to these “chonky” creatures. People brag about how “loved and spoiled” their pets are. Sadly, food does not equal love. We all know our pets, especially our dogs, love treats! Just like many humans, the worse the treat is for their health, the more they love it! I’m guilty! I absolutely love my cookies, ice cream, and chocolate! Wild Skookum loves potato chips. Shaak Ti loves buttered popcorn. All three cats love cheese. I once thought Jerreth AKA Boober AKA Super Duper Uber Boober, my 10 year old cat, was having a joy induced seizure over whipped cream (also called Kitty Crack in my home) because he was so excited he could barely stand up! It is absolutely adorable watching them freak out for their favorite treats. It is also super easy to allow them to over indulge in the process. We are now all so used to equating treats with love and seeing the overweight pets as a result that when many people see a pet with a healthy weight, they think the pet is starving.
If we ever tell you that Fifi seems to be gaining a little weight, please know that we are not judging you or Fifi! We know that sometimes owners don’t notice the slow changes since they see their pets every single day. The groomer is more likely to notice since we see Fifi once every 4 to 6 weeks. We mean nothing by it when we tell you. We simply want to bring it to your attention before the problem is out of control. We want Fifi to remain comfortable and healthy for her grooming!
If you ever have any concerns about your pet’s weight, please talk to your veterinarian. They can help you figure out the best way to help Fifi drop a few pounds. Quite often it is simply a matter of increasing exercise while reducing the extra treats. Maintaining a healthy weight will not only make grooming more comfortable, it will help your pet live a longer, healthier, more active life!
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