Veterinary Medicine - September 2007 - (Page S3)

FIGHTING A GROWING TREND joints and the heavier load for the heart. What they may not know is that the adipose tissue is an incredibly active organ creating and releasing hormones as well as inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines or adipokines. Obesity is like having chronic low-level inflammation, which may contribute to many of the chronic diseases we see in overweight or obese dogs. Prendergast: I think people generally understand weight-related problems. Overweight clients will say they feel better when they lose 5 to 10 lbs. We try to emphasize BCS rather than pounds. If you have a 7-lb Yorkie that should weigh 6 lbs, 1 lb of weight loss may not sound like much. But if they go from a BCS of 7 to 5, that’s a big improvement. So the focus shifts from pounds to BCS. Two ideas to get clients more involved in the weight-loss process 1 Make it fun for them. Facilitate group exercise for clients and patients. Meeting at a local park regularly for a walk can be enjoyable for clients and pets. Start out with a short walk, then gradually increase the distance. 2 Give them a reference point. Weight gain and weight loss can be subtle, making it difficult for clients to know if a diet is working. Taking a picture of a patient at a healthy weight will remind the clients what their pet should look like. reduces. Some of our elderly clients who can’t exercise hire other people to exercise their pets. Laflamme: Let me ask a nutritionist in the group about the ideal nutritional profile. What are you looking for in a canine weight-loss diet? Remillard: Low calorie and a lot of bulk to reach that satiety level. Most weight-loss diets are formulated to create a caloric deficiency—while meeting other nutritional requirements—in the volume the animal consumes in a day. Laflamme: So you are looking for an increased nutrient-to-calorie ratio? Remillard: Yes. For example, protein percentage will be much higher than a maintenance diet, while the total energy is lower. In addition, there should be an increase in the ratio between the other non-energy nutrients and the dietary energy. Diets are available that use air, water, or fiber as a bulk fill. I prefer to use the fiber ones over diets that use water or air—meaning puffed or big kibble size. Water and air are easily eliminated from the gastrointestinal tract whereas the fiber remains and has a bulk effect throughout. Laflamme: So fiber has a greater satiety effect? Remillard: A longer lasting one. But I still see dogs that are very hungry on the highest fiber diets. It’s not the answer in all cases. Churchill: I agree that fiber gives the longest lasting satiety, but it might not be my best option if the owner is debilitated and can’t cope with Designing a weight-loss program Laflamme: Let’s talk about an ideal weight-loss program. What would you like to see in terms of type of diet, specific nutritional characteristics, client protocols, and so on? Prendergast: Our staff is very involved with each weight-loss patient. We recommend they come in every two weeks or at least every month for a weight check, and we celebrate every pound of weight loss. We also follow up. One staff member calls every client and asks how they are doing. This builds a relationship with the family and motivates the client to stay the course. We encourage and facilitate exercise. We meet three times a week at a park to walk our pets— starting out slowly and gradually increasing the distance. It’s fun for the owners and great socialization for the pets. Buzhardt: That’s an excellent idea. An organized walk is great motivation because if owners feel that misery loves company, they are in good company. They think, “Here are other people with obese pets just like mine.” We are careful to determine how much exercise a dog can tolerate prior to instituting an exercise regimen. After a physical exam and laboratory workup, we suggest how much exercise we think their pet can tolerate. If necessary we prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to facilitate comfortable exercise programs. Over time we can reduce the need for NSAIDs as weight 3

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - September 2007

Contents Letters Leading Off The Veterinary Medicine Interview: Dr. William J. Kay Idea Exchange Practical Matters Salivary Mucoceles in Cates: A Retropspective Study of Seven Cases Hyperlipidemia in Dogs and Cats Purina Insert The Latest Management Recommendations for Cats and Dogs with Nonketotic Diabetes Mellitus CE Form Product Preview Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller

Veterinary Medicine - September 2007

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