Bringing up a pet’s weight can be awkward, with some owners reacting defensively or ignoring your advice. Many are unaware of their pet’s weight problem in the first place, and for others, it can conjure up feelings of shame. However, it needn’t be like this.
I’ve been a vet for 16 years and in that time I’ve learned not to shy away from conversations about weight - but there are ways to do it without upsetting anybody. With studies showing that around one in fourteen pets is overweight, it is our duty as veterinary professionals to help owners tackle the issue head-on. Studies show that valuable opportunities to bring up a pet's weight are being missed, so it is essential that you feel confident in handling these discussions in a sensitive and informative manner.
I’m going to share some of my top, evidence-based tips with you now.
Top tips for bringing up a pet's weight
One paper suggested that 53.9% of vets in a 2022 study avoided talking about obesity with certain clients, which could have a detrimental impact on that patient’s quality of life. As veterinary professionals, we need to look at our approach and see where the opportunities might lie. At every consultation, routine or not, you should:
1. Weigh the pet at every consultation
This is good practice, but it also gets owners into the habit of recognising trends in their pet’s weight. I find that owners tend to ask what their pet’s ideal weight should be, which can naturally open a conversation up around moving away from breed averages and focussing on body condition scoring. By weighing the pet often, even when they are normal, you are showing the owner the importance of weight management. Don’t forget to record the weight on the system!
2. Body condition score
Body condition scoring (BCS) should always be done alongside weighing the animal. I always talk owners through what I am doing, explaining how they can do it themselves. This shifts the focus from a number on the scales to the animal in front of them, and takes away from ‘oh it’s his fur’ excuses. Owners will appreciate that BCS is an objective tool, especially if you refer to some infographics too. Just don’t forget to record the BCS on the system!
3. Frame the conversation around health
It is, of course, appropriate to mention weight-related conditions like diabetes mellitus, but your discussions can also be tailored to the individual pet. This helps to make the issue more relatable for the owner. For example, if the dog is a breed well-known for developing osteoarthritis, then you can talk about helping to avoid undue pressure on their joints. Help owners to understand that obesity has a real impact on their pet’s health.
4. Careful use of language
Using humour or directing the conversation to the patient is common in the veterinary profession (Phillips, 2017) but can leave the owner feeling offended or confused. Using clinical words like ‘obesity’ and ‘pre-clinical obesity’ to name the pet's medical condition is far better than shaming terms like ‘fat’, ‘lazy’, or ‘chunky’. When talking about a pet’s obesity, you must engage the owner without blame and acknowledge that obesity is a complicated mix of genetic, environmental, and behavioural factors.
5. Book a second appointment
One study stated that ‘many discussions fell short of clear assessment, strategies, or identification of the client’s perspective’ (Phillips 2017). Vague directions such as advising to “switch to a light food,” or to “cut back” are not effective and can confuse clients. Weight loss is not as simple as ‘eat less, move more’ and conversations need to be had around preservation of muscle mass and gradual, sustainable fat loss, with owners given a clear plan and support. This may mean booking a follow up appointment where more time can be spent.
(Top tip: nurses with a nutrition certificate can be a fantastic resource in this situation – referring to your ‘nurse nutritionist’ can help owners take the process seriously!)
Getting owners to take pet obesity seriously
Understanding what motivates pet owners can be helpful when managing your consultations.
To help owners take your message seriously, it can be helpful to support your discussions with some medical information. Discussing the research around quality of life and associated health conditions can be helpful, but this may need to be dropped into the discussion gently to avoid coming across as lecturing.
One paper suggested that conversations around life expectancy would be the biggest driving force for whether an owner was likely to follow a vet’s advice around weight management (Sutherland, 2024). This was followed by discussions about the cost of food, quality of life, future mobility, and the risk of developing diabetes.
Other ways to help clients and overweight pets
Nurse consults/weight clinics
Referring your patient to a nurse weight clinic can keep your client on board. For many owners, nurses can be less intimidating than vets, and they might engage better and volunteer more information. Regular weight and BCS checks also keep owners accountable and help to track progress through measurable goals. Plus, having an appointment solely dedicated to nutrition and weight allows enough time to discuss the topic thoroughly.
Start weight and nutrition conversations early
Nutrition should be introduced into consultations from an early age. We know that obesity prevention is most likely to be effective when started at a young age, so talking about BCS and diet during puppy and kitten checks is recommended. Thereafter, the conversation should be kept open and ongoing, with discussions at every routine appointment. One option is to use the WALTHAM puppy growth charts, which allow you to track a puppy’s growth and spot early signs of abnormal weight gain.
Nutrition in every consultation
In my experience, most owners who raise issues with their pet’s weight do so because they are concerned their pet is underweight. This is backed by a recent study, which questioned vets and owners in focus groups and found that, while owners felt a weight should be recorded at every consultation, they didn’t necessarily feel it should prompt discussion if the pet was overweight. (Sutherland, 2022). So don’t wait for your client to start the conversation; make it a natural part of every consultation you do. After all, if the BCS and weight look good, a quick “he’s still a healthy weight, well done!” is some nice positive feedback for the pet owner.
Social media/newsletter/posters in practice
It is important to raise awareness of pet weight and obesity, but this needs to be done in an appropriate manner.
- Avoid sensationalising issues in a ‘newspaper style’ and instead shift your practice’s focus onto health and wellbeing. For example, instead of titling your post as ‘pet obesity crisis is affecting the health of thousands of animals’, frame your approach positively, such as ‘understanding clinical obesity and how to help your pet achieve a healthier weight’.
- Information should feature everything that can be achieved through weight loss, including reduced pain, increased mobility, and an improved quality of life, rather than just the number on the scales.
- If you like sharing your patient’s success stories and photos, talk about ‘how Fluffy improved her mobility by achieving a lower body condition, while preserving lean muscle mass’ rather than just stating how many pounds or kilos were lost.
- Show a diverse range of patients, with varying breeds, sizes, and ages, to avoid stereotyping certain animals. You should also try to use action photos that show the pet enjoying a walk or being happily examined in the practice, rather than just showing close-ups of overweight pets that focus only on body shape, which may induce shame.
Conclusion
Weight and nutrition should be part of an ongoing discussion with owners and their vet team. By avoiding blame or oversimplifying things, it is possible to keep owners engaged and focused on improving their pet’s health.
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