Alternative Ways to Discuss Pet Obesity and Weight Loss

• A 2017 report by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) found that more than 100 million dogs and cats in the United States are overweight.
• According to Dr. Ward, more pets are continuing to be diagnosed as obese. Clinical obesity can lead to arthritis, high blood pressure, kidney disease, certain forms of cancer, reduced quality of life, and a shorter life expectancy.
• Veterinary professionals struggle to discuss pet obesity with a client for fear of offending or upsetting them.
• According to an APOP survey, 57 percent of pet owners reported seeking nutritional advice for their animals from a veterinarian, and 77 percent of the respondents also reported getting nutritional information from online sources, pet stores, and friends.
• To bring up obesity without offending the client, the veterinarian needs to know what they are talking about, start the conversation, discuss, inform, and educate; talk about lifestyle changes, and get the right approach.
• Nutrition is the fifth vital assessment and sound nutritional recommendations for patients should be included in every veterinary appointment.
• The nutritional assessment is a two part process includes a screening evaluation and an extended evaluation.
• The screening evaluation includes obtaining a history and performing a physical examination on every patient.
• An extended evaluation is essential when one or more nutrition related risk factors are found or suspected based on the initial screening evaluation.
• In an ideal world, every dog and cat would be eating the exact requirements based on their life stage and the recommended requirements of the AAFCO.
• One of the most common, and also difficult, nutritional discussion to have is the weight loss conversation. Clients may not believe their pet is overweight, let alone how they contributed to their animal's obesity.
• It is important to get clients to realize that they play a huge part in why the animal is overweight or obese. It is also a topic that needs to be handled delicately. Discussing the results of objective tools, such as blood tests that indicate too much fat or radiology images that show extra rolls can serve as a conversation starter. Explain that even a little extra weight can affect the pet's quality of life.
• A landmark lifetime study of Labrador retrievers showed that overweight dogs live almost two years less than normal weight dogs. Because of these health risks, the veterinary team must ensure that the client agrees that weight loss needs to take place.
• A veterinarian should discuss the risks obese dogs and cats develop, such as cancers of all types, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, hypertension, osteoarthritis, faster degeneration of affected joints, urinary bladder stones, and anesthetic complications due to lower heat tolerance.
• Once the veterinarian prescribes a nutritional plan, the tech should work with the owner to implement it. Often, this includes a diet change with a goal of weight loss. VTD aid in weight loss in a variety of ways: high fiber helps the patient feel full and satiated between meals; certain nutrients may also help avoid weight regain after weight loss; and some diets have nutrients that work synergistically and naturally with the pet's unique metabolism.
• Veterinarians should inform clients about potential advantages, risks, and concerns with specific food and treats, especially with ones they may already be feeding. It is important to educate pet owners that reducing the amount of food in the patient's normal diet is not a safe plan for weight loss because deficiencies in nutrients can occur.
• Always use nonjudgemental language. Instead of asking, do you give Sadie treats or table scraps, try asking tell me about Sadie's favorite human foods or snacks. Framing the question this way shows the team understands and accepts the importance of treats in the client's relationship with the pet. This is an important step in gaining the client's trust and buy into weight loss program and nutritional counseling.
• VTD weight loss diets are balanced to provide both adequate nutrients and energy requirements and are calorically dense. No matter what diet is prescribed, include your recommendations on the amount and frequency of the diet being fed and account for any snacks and/or treats. Remember to write this down for the owner and document this in the patient's medical record.
• In addition to the nutritional plan, veterinary team members must also have a conversation about lifestyle changes.
• Avoiding using words such as fat, heavy, or other negative terms. The veterinarian is trying to create a clinic culture that presents nutritional and lifestyle changes in a compassionate and positive way. Rather than commenting "It looks like Sadie is a couch potato," ask "What does Sadie like to do with you?"
• Guide the client in understanding weight loss is achieved by having more calories burned each day than what the animal consumes each day.
• Based on what activity the pet enjoys, suggest examples on how the owner can help the animals burn extra calories per day: an extra walk to the mailbox or longer play time.
• Clients may enrich their pet's nutritional experience by interacting with them at feeding times. Interactive food toys are wonderful in helping a pet burn extra calories. Encourage the pet owner to reward the pet with praise or head scratches rather than high calorie treats. Having pets chase the kibbles they eat will provide great benefits in weight loss and mental stimulation.
• The AVMA advises that owners should eliminate table scraps and fattening high calorie treats. If food treats are given, they should be healthier ones and kept to a minimum. Treats should not make up more than 10 percent of the pet's daily calories.
• The client should be involved in the decision making and help define expectations when creating the nutrition plan. An excellent place to start is to teach the client how the evaluate the BCS and muscle condition score. This can be effective in helping engage clients in their pet's care. When clients feel like they are involved in the decision making, they are more likely to follow the veterinary team's specific recommendations.
• Try to uncover any issues that may limit compliance with the dietary recommendations. One of the challenges may include financial considerations. In this case, use a spreadsheet to show the daily cost of the recommended diet compared to the daily cost of the pet's current diet, including treats and snacks. Many times, calculating the cost to feed per day shows owners that they will not be spending more in the long run.
• Follow up care and communication are key to ensuring owner compliance and to safely achieve the desired outcome. Proper weight loss can be achieved by one to two percent loss of body weight per week. Following up with clients helps to determine whether the patient is losing weight too fast, too slow, or if there are other concerns.
• Schedule a recheck appointment two weeks after the initial nutritional screening. Monthly weight checks are also recommended to monitor GI issues, changes in behavior, client acceptance, etc. These follow up visits permits you to make adjustments to food intake as necessary.