default

Diet For Weight Management In Pets

default

The pet food market is saturated with options and picking a diet can be challenging at the best of times, even more so when we’re considering weight management. In this article, we discuss some of the options available:

commercial

default

Commercial Food (Wet/Dry)

default

For the majority of pets, a good quality commercial diet will meet their needs throughout their lifetime. Pet food generally comes with a feeding guide on the packet; this provides a rough guide of how much to feed for a certain size and/or age of pet. Just like in people, different pets can have different metabolisms. This is also affected by age, breed, and daily exercise. For this reason, although the feeding guide is a good starting point, it is not suitable for every pet. If you notice your pet is losing or gaining weight, you may need to amend the amount fed. For pets who are slightly overweight, reducing the amount fed daily by 10% is a good starting point. If you feel that food needs to be reduced further than this, we recommend seeking veterinary advice as limiting food allowance too much can result in nutritional deficiencies.

raw

default

Home-Cooked or Raw Diets

default

Home cooked or raw diets are very popular, but can make weight management challenging. Due to the very variable compositions, it is harder to know how much an individual animal will need to eat. As above, it is advisable to regularly monitor your pet’s weight, and adjust the amount fed accordingly. It can be extremely difficult to ensure a home-cooked or raw diet is nutritionally balanced, especially when we are trying to avoid over-feeding. For this reason, we recommend the use of pre-formulated “complete” raw or cooked diets. Home-cooked and raw diets are not recommended for growing animals, where an incorrect ratio of nutrients can cause permanent orthopaedic problems.

commercial-light

default

Commercial Light Food

default

Commercial light food is similar to a regular diet but designed to have fewer calories, usually achieved by diluting food with water or fibre. This means a larger physical portion can be given to provide the same amount of energy. Light diets do not have sufficient calorie reduction to generate weight loss without also reducing portion size. Due to the risk of nutritional deficiency if diet is restricted too far, commercial light diets often have increased nutrient density. To balance the reduced calorie content, light diets often include more fibre and/or protein, however this is not regulated and can vary significantly between brands. Light diets are most suitable for pets who are mildly overweight, or to prevent weight gain in pets with low levels of activity.

working

default

Working Dog Food

default

Working dog food has increased levels of fat and protein, and is designed for maintenance of bodyweight and muscle mass in dogs with very high levels of activity. This includes working gun dogs and those doing a lot of agility training, but also very active pet dogs particularly of gun dog breeds (Spaniels, Pointers, Vizslas etc). Sometimes, it is difficult to keep these dogs at an ideal bodyweight as they cannot eat the volume of food required to match their energy expenditure. Both a dog’s activity levels and metabolism will slow as they age, so most dogs do not need a working diet beyond 5-7 years of age, or after they are neutered.

weight

default

Weight Management Food

default

Prescription weight management diets are specifically formulated for pets who are moderately or severely overweight. They contain reduced calorie and energy levels without compromising nutrition, even when fed in very small amounts, due to high micronutrient density. Weight management diets are specially designed to promote safe, gradual weight loss, but should only be used under the guidance of a vet or nurse.

how

default

How to Feed Your Pet

default

The same amount of food should be fed every day to avoid unintentional weight gain or loss. The most precise method is to weigh food daily using a small set of scales, however this can be time consuming. Weighing out food once and marking portion size on a reusable scoop/cup has a greater margin for error but is suitable for the majority of pets. For young pets who are still growing, don’t forget that the amount fed will need to be increased regularly until they reach a stable adult weight.

The daily allowance can be fed in one go, or divided into two or more meals throughout the day. For pets who tend to gobble a meal very quickly, consider the use of slow feeders or putting food into treat dispensing toys.

treats

default

Treats

default

Commercial pet treats are commonly very calorie dense, meaning there is a lot of energy in a relatively small volume. Feeding treats through the day can have a significant impact on total energy intake, even when the volume of food fed appears low. This includes treats fed as part of training, or for other reasons such as dental sticks.

As a general rule, treats should make up no more than 5% of the total diet, and should be factored in when planning food allowances. If regular treat giving is an important part of behavioural training, especially in young dogs, try setting aside some of the daily allowance of kibble each morning and use this throughout the day.

Often, treats are an important part of our physiological and emotional bond with our pets, used as a reward for good behaviour, or to balance negative experiences such as being left alone. It’s important to remember, however, that often the process of receiving additional food outside of a mealtime, and directly from your hand, is more important to your pet than the treat itself. For some pets, attention in the form of play, fusses or grooming is just as rewarding as food.