Pet owners 'need to prevent animal obesity'

By Marianne Straker, Thu 1 Apr 2010 - Published in Pet Insurance

Pet insurance customers need to understand what weight is healthy for their furry friends, it has been suggested.

Recent research from Sainsbury's Finance claimed that the UK's pets are facing an obesity epidemic, with four in ten animals seen by vets being overweight and one-tenth classed as being seriously so.

Commenting on the findings, Elaine Pendlebury, senior vet at pet charity PDSA, said she has noticed an increase in the size of animals she has seen.

"Obviously [owners] are not deliberately feeding their pet cruelly. We like cuddly looking dogs and we don't have an idea of what the ideal weight a dog should be is," she explained.

Ms Pendlebury also recommended that pet owners research their animals and what their ideal weight is, while a sensible diet and lots of exercise will help to keep them healthy.

The Sainsbury's Finance research also found that around 13 per cent of animals seen by vets are underweight, which can affect their quality of life.

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