Page 504 - Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 5th Edition

520 Small Animal Clinical Nutrition

VetBooks.ir Box 27-7. Obtaining Pet Owner Commitment.

An important step in a successful weight-loss program is for optimal body condition for this specific purpose. Also, a side-by-
everyone who feeds the pet to recognize, accept and understand side comparison of the overweight animal and one of the same
the reason why the pet should lose weight, and to make a commit- breed and frame size in optimal body condition can serve the same
ment to accomplish that goal. Satisfactory weight loss is unlikely to purpose if an animal of optimal weight is available. Sequential dual
occur unless the pet owners recognize the problem and are com- energy x-ray absorptiometry scans can also be used for this pur-
mitted to take corrective steps. Such commitment will greatly pose.
improve compliance (Chapter 3) with a feeding plan and increase A free web-based program is available in which the patient’s sil-
the likelihood of a successful outcome.The good news is that own- houette is matched to a dog/cat visual and an ideal weight is auto-
ers care whether or not their pets are overweight as evidenced by matically calculated; this program could also be a persuasive aid
the results of a survey of cat owners: more than 90% said that (Box 27-10).
maintaining their pets’ proper weight was important or extremely After the owners recognize and accept that the pet is over-
important. a weight, the next step is for them to commit to a weight-loss pro-
Several techniques can be used to help owners recognize and gram. There are several strategies to help owners make this com-
accept that their pet is overweight and not just “stocky.” Some of mitment. Owners can be informed about documented problems
these techniques have already been discussed in the accompany- associated with obesity and how returning the animal to optimal
ing chapter. Past body weights and body condition scores (BCS) in weight will reduce the risk of one or more of these problems. The
the patient’s medical record can be used along with relative body risks can be quantified economically for animals likely to suffer
weights to show an owner how excessive present body weight orthopedic or metabolic problems because of their degree of obe-
relates to the animal’s frame size and optimal body weight sity. Often, a strong motivating factor for commitment is to improve
(Appendices 14 and 15). BCS illustrations may help (Chapter 1). or even resolve a problem caused or exacerbated by obesity.
Because they typically underestimate their pets’ body condition, Weight loss in these cases becomes part of the overall therapeu-
owners should be taught to feel where bony structures should be tic plan and can be crucial for realizing clinical improvement and
readily palpable but are not, and where body contours differ from benefit from other treatments.
optimal. The BCS can be used to estimate percent body fat; for
additional body composition information, see Table 27-3. ENDNOTE
If thoracic or abdominal radiographs have been taken, a side- a. Weight Management Study, Pet Owner Summary #D02-284.
by-side comparison with similar radiographic views from an animal Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. September 2002.
of similar size at optimal body weight can quite effectively demon-
strate to the owner the pet’s excess subcutaneous or intra-abdom- The Bibliography for Box 27-7 can be found at
inal fat (Figures 1 and 2 in Box 27-2). Practitioners should con- www.markmorris.org.
sider keeping a reference set of radiographs for cats and dogs in

ing a specific food and determining the feeding method. The If an energy-restriction strategy has been tried in cats, but
feeding method includes setting a goal for the amount of has not achieved the desired weight loss, a metabolic weight-
weight to lose and determining how much of the new food to loss program should be considered. Table 27-9 compares the
feed to achieve the weight loss. Although not a nutritional con- key nutritional factor targets to the key nutritional factor con-
sideration, obtaining owner agreement about a realistic exercise tent of available veterinary therapeutic cat foods marketed for a
plan should be part of the process. Reassessment of the weight- metabolic approach to weight loss. Again, select the food that
loss part of weight management should include monitoring the is most similar to the key nutritional factor targets and/or has
progress of weight loss and, as necessary, adjusting food intake the best efficacy data (Roudebush et al, 2008).
and exercise to achieve the agreed upon weight-loss goal. Another criterion for selecting a food that may become
Finally, it is very important to stabilize caloric intake of the ani- increasingly important in the future is evidence-based clinical
mal at its reduced weight to ensure that weight is not regained. nutrition. Practitioners should know how to determine risks
and benefits of nutritional regimens and counsel pet owners
Assess and Select the Food for Weight Reduction accordingly. Currently, veterinary medical education and con-
The calorie-restriction strategy should be used for overweight tinuing education are not always based on rigorous assessment
dogs and, initially, for overweight cats.Tables 27-7 for dogs and of evidence for or against particular management options. Still,
27-8 for cats compare the key nutritional factor targets to the studies have been published to establish the nutritional benefits
key nutritional factor content of selected commercial veterinary of certain pet foods. Chapter 2 describes evidence-based clini-
therapeutic foods marketed for weight loss. Select the food that cal nutrition in detail and applies its concepts to various veteri-
is most similar to the key nutritional factor targets and/or has nary therapeutic foods.
the best efficacy evidence for managing weight loss in dogs or Ideally treats, snacks and human foods should be eliminated
cats (Roudebush et al, 2008). from the feeding plan to maximize the chances for successful