Dogs Get Diet Help

Tufts University Operates Pet-Obesity Clinic

Tufts University offers sound advice for pet owners with overweight dogs.

If all those extra treats and table scraps have turned your Fido into a Fatso, it’s probably time to consult the vets at Tufts University’s pet-obesity clinic.

Responding to the fact that over half of U.S. dogs and cats are overweight, the clinic provides exams, and nutrition and lifestyle recommendations to help pets shed pounds and improve their health.

Although all vet clinics regularly treat overweight pets, few are associated with veterinary schools and staffed by specialists with training in pet obesity, like the Tufts clinic.

As in humans, excess weight in dogs is about more than appearance: common weight-related health dangers include osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, breathing problems, kidney disease, and shortened life expectancy.

An estimated 54 percent of dogs and cats were classified as overweight or obese by their vets, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.

For tools on pet weight loss, including a daily feeding log, calorie counts in commercial dog food, and tips on walking your dog for weight loss, go to petobesityprevention.com.

The original version of this article appeared in “Paw Prints” in AKC Family Dog.