What to expect in a weight loss clinic at a vets?

We all know how easy it is to gain weight and how difficult it is to lose it, but have we ever thought about our pets’ weight? Have you ever looked at your pet and wondered where their waistline is? Everyone needs a healthy waistline… Perhaps you have visited your veterinary practice and your vet or nurse may have discussed considering attending a weight clinic with your pet. So what’s that? and is it worth it? Or is it just an expensive extra?

Weight clinics can be for many different species but the most common ones we see in practice are cats and dogs. A weight clinic is another great role that our veterinary nurses take on. They are educated in the different diets that are available and are able to advise and support you and your pet through this process. And in many cases they’re free! Even if they aren’t, they’re probably cheaper than dealing with the consequences of obesity. So let’s go through what to expect in a weight clinic. 

So where do we begin?

So first thing is first lets have a look at your pets actual weight and their body condition score. A combination of their actual weight and their body condition score can tell us more about their weight. As every animal is different all their ideal weights differ. OK, yes, there are weight brackets for certain breeds; but also you can get small or big versions of that breed, so no animal is going to be the same weight. 

When we use a body condition score chart it ranges from too thin, ideal, overweight or obese. When we look at this we see if we can feel your pets ribs and when the pet is standing can we see a waist from behind and can we feel the spine, from this we can then score the body condition. The score is usually either 1-9 with 9 being obese and the idea 4-5; or 1-5 with the optimum weight at 2-3. 

Waist measurement

We can’t always see weight loss, so before we begin to diet it’s a good idea to get the weight tape out. We can measure the waist and around the chest. Make sure these measurements are recorded. Next time you visit the weight clinic these measurements can be taken again to see if there is any change. It’s also a great idea to take photos before the diet begins. This way you can look back to compare and hopefully notice some change!

So what’s the ideal weight?

This will be set by you and your veterinary nurse during the first consultation. It needs to be realistic, as there is no point in setting an extreme aim because unless it has a dramatic change in the first few months you’ll be disappointed and won’t feel the motivation to carry on. An obese pet should aim to lose 1-2% of weight a week. Decide on a number and stick to it. If your pet reaches that number and still needs to lose more after then another aim can be set. 

Let’s discuss food…

When attending a clinic it’s a good idea to take the bag or can of food that you have been feeding so we can see if it is suitable.  Maybe the measure cup too so we can see how much you have been feeding. It is important to be honest about this – along with how many treats your pet is given. When looking at food it might be that the food is fine to continue feeding but that you’re just simply giving a little bit too much: it soon adds up! It is always a good start to be measuring the food out for the weight rather than giving “about a scoop” each time. 

If you do think you might have to change diets, before you attend the clinic try to figure out how much you can spend on animal food. There are veterinary prescription weight loss diets available but they are a little more expensive than shop bought diets. If you can’t afford it, that isn’t necessarily a problem though, there are many other diets out there that are low in calories so can still help with weight loss. Have a diet in mind that you want to try. Maybe take some information about this with you so you can work with your veterinary nurse on how much to give. 

Treats play a really big part in weight loss too

We don’t always realize how many calories are in treats. This would always be discussed with you, try and substitute treats for vegetables for dogs, or give some of the daily kibble as a treat. If you have a pet that is very greedy, mention it to the nurse, there are ways we can help with this! For example, splitting the daily amount into little meals throughout the day may help. We don’t want to feel like we are starving our pets, because then we may be tempted to give more or more treats. 

Exercise

Discussing exercise is a big part of the clinic, because exercise can play a significant part in weight loss. That said, it does depend – exercising a dog is usually a lot easier than trying to get a cat to exercise! Try to increase a dog’s exercise, take them out for longer, brisker walks, or even take them swimming. If you can’t go for longer walks then do short walks but more often. Walking and swimming are great ways to burn calories and excess fat. However, your vet nurse will also need to know about older dogs’ mobility, as it might be that there are medical issues such as osteoarthritis that need to be considered.

When it comes to cats this is tricky: most people can’t take a cat for a walk like a dog. Some cats are playful, for those ones it may be easier: try playing with toys more with them. Many cats like laser pens, see if this gets them more active. Your veterinary nurse may have some great ideas on how to get your cat active. 

It’s all positive – we’re not here to judge

As a veterinary nurse we are there to help people and their pets. You’re not the only one that has been advised to attend a pet weight loss clinic. Did you know that nearly 60% of dogs and 40% of cats in the UK are currently overweight?! That is a lot. But change can always happen with support and perseverance. You’ll be asked to come back in a month’s time for a recheck of your pets weight, just to see if things are working and for a chat with you to make sure you’re getting on ok. If there isn’t a big change within the first month then don’t fear, it will happen.