The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention will collaborate with veterinary practices and teaching hospitals to collect and report the weight and body condition scores of dogs, cats and — for the first time — horses.
The initiative will begin on Oct. 7 and continue through Dec. 31. Veterinary clinics interested in recording the weights and scores of patients seen during routine examinations may register at bit.ly/APOPsignup.
Measured dogs and cats must be at least 1 year old, and horses at least 2 years old. All must be skeletally mature.
The association’s 2022 U.S. survey estimated that 61% of cats and 59% of dogs were overweight or obese.
In other news, veterinary products manufacturer Virbac is partnering with the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention to address how proper nutrition can help keep pets healthy, especially after a spay or neuter procedure.
“[Virbac] will enhance our ability to address pet obesity through innovative nutrition solutions and providing vets with dietary interventions, tools and support,” said Dr. Ernie Ward, the association’s founder and president and a Today’s Veterinary Business columnist.
According to the Pet Nutrition Alliance, dogs are twice as likely and cats are 3.4 times as likely to become obese after sterilization.
“It’s so important for veterinarians and their clients to understand the root cause of obesity and how metabolic changes occur after the pet has been spayed or neutered that trigger weight gain,” said Dr. Fabrice Payot, Virbac’s vice president of new business. “We can help make a difference by tailoring their diet to one that is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates.”
One Virbac product line, Veterinary HPM: Spay & Neuter Diets, is formulated to address the metabolic needs of spayed and neutered pets.
World Pet Obesity Week runs from Oct. 7 to 13.