I say it on a daily basis. Sometimes I feel like I say it so
often I wonder if it’s registering in my own brain let alone in my clients’.
“Your pet is overweight and would benefit from losing (insert number of)
pounds.” I follow this statement up with advice on how to decrease their number
on the scale. If we increase our pets’ activity and decrease calories the
weight should theoretically come right off (barring underlying medical
disorders). I regularly recommend more daily walks with our pudgy pooches and
more play time with our flabby felines.
Recently, a good client of mine came in with a beaming smile
and extra pep in her step. She sought me out to inform me that because of that
seemingly monotonous recommendation that I make multiple times a day, she had
made a big change in her own life. She had lost 20 pounds since starting to
take her dogs out for daily 30-minute walks. Just think of that — 20 pounds!
She was all too ready to assign me credit for getting her to lose weight. I
didn’t hound her to follow through with increasing her dogs’ exercise but she
saw the need for improvement when someone she trusted brought it to her
attention and she, as a loving dog owner, acted on my advice. The fact that she
so graciously gave me credit for her success may have been one of the best
compliments I have ever received as a veterinarian.
As often as I say those words “you need to get (insert pet’s
name) to lose weight” I, myself, have always been “big-boned.” I felt slightly
hypocritical recommending weight loss for client’s pets when I clearly needed
to shed a few pounds myself. Personally through the years, I have done diet
programs, exercise fads, nutritional supplements, exercise DVDs and have used
home gym equipment and counted calories. I have had mixed success throughout
the years. I have worked for a long time at trying to stay healthy. I find
myself one of millions of Americans still fighting the battle of the bulge.
One day a few months ago, I decided to take the plunge and
switch up my fitness and diet game one more time — I found myself following
Marie Osmonds’ advice. I would see what her pre-packaged,
delivered-to-your-door diet program had to offer. I was always intrigued by the
convenience of the pre-packaged meals but didn’t realize that in this case you
are expected to eat many smaller meals throughout the day. You focus on filling
up with veggies and increasing fiber and protein in your daily intake on top of
staying active.
As of this writing I have lost 33 pounds. I have since
realized it is time for new work clothes. Half way through one of my
appointments I started to lose my scrub pants. Thank goodness I wear a long
white lab coat because that could have gotten embarrassing pretty quickly. “No,
Mrs Smith, I don’t have my hands on my hips because I am being dramatic while I
explain Max’s condition. I’m just trying to keep my trousers up.”
The difference with my own excess weight is that I am the
reason for it — I have worked at being overweight and overfed for many years.
It’s going to take a lot of dedication and motivation for me to lose that
weight and keep it off. Just as my extra calories were making me feel comforted
in the moment they also could have theoretically have been significantly
decreasing my expected life span.
Our pets’ weight gain is often due to our “over-loving” them
by over-feeding them. They rely on us to fill their food bowls. We need to be
their Marie Osmonds. We need to pre-measure the calories they take in on a
daily basis (including treats) because they can’t do it themselves.There’s an old saying that if your dog is out of shape, you are out of shape. Take this veterinarian’s advice and try increasing your dog and cat’s daily activity. Consider playing with your cat for a few more minutes every day — it should increase both your kitty’s and your own happiness. If I could get even one more person thanking me for helping them lose weight while also improving their pet’s body condition I would count myself a very lucky veterinarian. I know that I’m feeling better about myself with my own recent weight loss — I can only imagine how good a dog or cat would feel to get rid of their excess baggage.
Author: Dr. Marisa Tong
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