Weight Management

Our veterinary team can create a plan to help you manage your pet’s weight. Overweight pets account for 50% of all cats and dogs. We often consult with veterinary nutritional experts to determine a diet that could work well for your pet’s dietary needs. If you’re concerned about your pet’s weight, please contact us at 519-661-0496.

How can I check if my pet is overweight?

If you are unable to feel their ribs, spine, or hip bones and they don’t have a defined waist, this could be an indication that your pet is overweight. Other symptoms include heavy breathing or difficulty doing physical activity. A more accurate measure is a body condition score, where pets scoring at the lower end of the scale are considered underweight, whereas furry friends at the opposite end are overweight. This score will influence your pet’s weight management plan and the goals we’ll set to help your pet achieve a healthier weight. Weight management is a collaborative effort between pet parents and our team, including monitoring your pet’s body condition/weight, determining the cause of the weight gain, recommending steps to get their weight to a healthy level, and doing diagnostic testing to determine if there is an underlying issue, like thyroid disease.

What do your healthy weight programs include?

Ensuring your pet is a healthy weight is vital to their overall quality of life. Being obese predisposes them to health issues like osteoarthritis, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease and cancer. To lower the number on your pet’s scale and reduce the likelihood of contracting these diseases, their healthy weight program includes:

• Behaviour modification consultation
• Regenerative medicine
• At-home exercise program
• Hydrotherapy (Underwater Treadmill) for increased mobility and fitness training
• Acupuncture (TCM) for natural pain relief
• Therapeutic laser therapy to decrease pain
• Proven medical weight loss diets and treats
• Nutraceuticals to maintain healthy joints
• Monthly weigh-ins