Weight Management for Pets with Activity Restriction

How can I help my pet lose weight if their activity is restricted?

When your pet’s activity is restricted, helping them lose weight can be more challenging. Your veterinary care team can help you develop a plan that fits their needs and restrictions, including changes to their diet, feeding routine, and any activity they can safely do.

Diet

Overweight pets with restricted activity who need to lose weight should eat a veterinary therapeutic diet designed specifically for weight loss. These diets have been shown to work when pets are fed an appropriate amount for weight loss. Food portions must be measured carefully to avoid accidentally overfeeding. Speak with your veterinary team about how much food and treats to offer your pet when they are not very active and need to lose weight.

However, a special diet alone is not always enough. Talk to your veterinarian about which therapeutic diet would be the right fit for your pet. Once your pet’s target weight has been reached, it may be possible to switch to an over-the-counter weight management diet with your veterinarian’s guidance.

Exercise

Talk to your veterinarian about what activity is safe for your pet before starting them on a weight-loss program. Your veterinary care team may have helpful suggestions that other pet owners have found helpful.

Together, you and your veterinary team can consider ideas for exercise and develop a plan to introduce safe movement into your pet’s daily routine. If the first thing you try doesn’t go well, talk to your veterinary team before trying it again. You may need to try more than one approach, so be patient with your pet and persistent in exploring different ideas. One option to investigate is animal rehabilitation therapy, which may include underwater treadmill therapy.

If your veterinarian approves, look around your home and consider how your pet could burn extra calories by simply doing more of their usual behaviors. If your dog or cat can safely move from room to room, you could place their food bowl in different rooms every other day, farther away than where they would usually walk. If your pet can use stairs, place the food bowl at the top of a staircase and place the water bowl at the bottom. Use different places each time to keep your pet guessing.

Feeding approaches

Consider using an automatic feeder, which releases a set amount of food at specific times each day. Your veterinarian can calculate the total calories your pet needs and help you determine how much food to provide at each meal.

A food puzzle can keep your pet engaged while slowing their pace of eating. Some pet owners use food puzzles every day instead of placing food in a bowl, but puzzles can also be used just two to three times per week. Your pet must learn how to work the puzzle to remove the food, so introducing it requires some patience. 

Some dogs and cats enjoy certain puzzles more than others, so read reviews of the products and consider trying more than one. Choose puzzles that your pet can use comfortably within their activity restrictions, and use food from their measured daily allowance. Several online sites provide instructions for making your own.

What is animal rehabilitation therapy and how can it help my pet?

Animal rehabilitation therapy is similar to physical therapy for humans. When a dog or cat first visits a rehabilitation clinic, trained and certified veterinary technicians or veterinarians conduct an assessment and offer one or more types of therapy tailored to your pet. For overweight pets with restricted activity, therapy might include 

• Controlled, gentle movements for stretching
• Massage therapy to reduce joint pain
• Weight-bearing activities, such as slow walking on a land treadmill
• Non-weight-bearing activities, such as swimming in a warm-water pool or walking on an underwater treadmill

Animal rehabilitation therapy can help overweight pets by improving their mobility, reducing joint pain, and improving overall fitness. The cost of treatment varies by the type of therapy prescribed, practitioner, and location. Many clinics offer a “package” of visits, which may be less expensive than paying for individual sessions. Ask your veterinarian where you can find a certified rehabilitation practitioner.

How can I help my pet lose weight if my own activity is restricted?

If you can’t be directly involved in your pet’s daily activity, talk to family members, friends, and neighbors to see if any of them can help with pet care. You could also consider hiring a local student at a high school, community college, or university near your home. 

Alternatively, your veterinary care team might be able to recommend a reliable pet sitter or dog walker in the community. Recruiting and hiring helpers may take some time, so it is important to plan ahead and carefully consider what kinds of help you’ll need for your pet. Make sure anyone helping understands your pet’s feeding plan and activity restrictions.

Can my pet still have treats?

Yes, low-calorie treats can be included in your pet’s weight-loss plan. Ask your veterinary team which treats are appropriate and how many your pet can have each day. Treats, snacks, and “people foods” should be carefully monitored, because too much can add extra calories and unbalance your pet’s diet. A general guideline is that no more than 10% of your pet’s total daily calories should come from treats, snacks, or "people foods.”

Be sure to read treat labels for “calories per piece,” so you can include treats in your pet’s daily calorie allowance. Most commercial cat treats are about the size of your smallest fingernail and have between 1 and 4 calories per treat. However, dog treats can vary widely in size, shape, and number of calories—some have more than 100 calories per treat.

Some pet-safe fruits and vegetables can make low-calorie treats when offered in moderation. Serve them fresh, frozen, or plainly cooked without butter, salt, condiments, or cheese. Ask your veterinary team which options are safe and suitable.

Remember that “treating” your pet doesn’t need to involve food. Pets enjoy our attention, and it can be given in many forms, including petting, grooming, training, playing, walking, or even watching a TV show together. Choose activities that fit your pet’s restrictions and preferences.

How can I tell if my pet is losing weight?

Weight loss doesn’t happen quickly, and reaching your pet’s goal weight will take several weeks or months. The most successful weight loss programs include regular check-ins. Stay connected with your veterinary care team to report your pet’s progress and get support at every step.

Monitor weight and body condition

It is important to regularly monitor your pet’s body weight and body condition score (an assessment of how much body fat they carry). Early on, your veterinary care team might suggest check-ins once every two weeks, then once a month or every six weeks. Many veterinary clinics allow you to bring your pet in weekly to be weighed and assigned a body condition score. Make sure that these numbers are recorded in your pet’s medical record to document progress.

Expect setbacks as well as “plateaus,” when your pet stops losing weight. At these times, talk to your veterinarian—they may have a suggestion or may want to examine your pet.

Take photos

Take “before,” “during,” and “after” photos of your pet to document their progress. It can be helpful to see the changes over time. Take these photos once a week or every two weeks. Each time, take photos that show two perspectives: a side (lateral) view and a top-down (aerial) view. The side view is taken from beside your pet, and shows their full length, from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail. The top-down view is taken from above your pet’s back and shows their outline from head to tail.

Keep a food diary

Keep a food diary for your pet. Work with your veterinary care team to determine the number of calories your pet should eat to lose a safe amount of weight each week. Talk with the team, and others in your home about how those calories will be divided into small meals and treats. Then, each day, record the time you offer food or treats, the amount you offer, and how you offer it (e.g., food bowl, food puzzle, by hand).

Keep an activity diary

Keep an activity diary for your pet. Start slowly and increase activity only as recommended by your veterinary team. Progress may be easier in some weeks than in others. When you are unsure if you’re making progress, review your notes with your veterinary team to identify activities you could revisit or try again.