Doggy duo's slimline look shows importance of weight control, says Teesside vets

Portly pooches who became shadows of their former selves show the value of keeping pets’ weight under control, according to a Teesside vets practice.

Family-run White Cross Vets, with practices in Coulby Newham and Redcar, saw more than 700 overweight pets last year and believe significantly more go untreated.

With new research from animal charity PDSA revealing that one in three dogs and one in four cats in the UK are overweight, White Cross is now urging owners to take action in order to extend the lives of their pets.

And backing the call is dog owner Jason Ditchburn, who says a weight loss programme White Cross put his two labradors on worked wonders.

Jason, of Middlesbrough, got Willow and Frankie in September 2013 from the The Dogs Trust in Darlington and they were carrying a bit of timber, weighing 30kg and 31kg respectively.

Jason Dtichburn with his dogs Frankie (black) and Willow (sand)

He said: “We went to the practice regularly for check-ups until they reached their target weights, which they are currently maintaining at approximately 25kg each. “Since losing the weight, they can walk for miles without getting tired and love to run after a ball. When they were overweight, they used to lie down in the middle of a walk but they can literally go for hours now.”

Cate Titterton, clinic director at White Cross in Redcar, said: “It’s often a case of owners innocently overfeeding their pets through kindness.

“Most owners are aware their pet is overweight, but the majority don’t appreciate the dangers their pets face as a result, continuing to give them too much food at meal times as well as treats and other titbits.

“However, the good news is it’s usually much easier for a pet to lose weight than a human, and making a few small changes to their habits and lifestyles can reap big rewards.”

Overweight pets - usually caused by over-feeding and lack of exercise - can suffer from a range of health problems including osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Obesity also causes physical and emotional distress, and reduces life expectancy.

A report by the PDSA says more than 5.5m pets are given treats as part of their daily diet, including cake, crisps and takeaways, and 250,000 dogs never go for a walk. And research by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) reveals that nearly half (48%) of owners are feeding pets treats more than twice a day and one in three are giving human food as a treat, which is often unsuitable for animals’ digestive systems.

To help tackle the problem, White Cross is now providing free weight clinics at its Redcar and Coulby Newham practices.

Rob Reid, clinic director at Coulby Newham, said: “We weigh the pet and offer advice about pet nutrition and exercise.

“This is particularly useful as instructions on pet food labels can be very general and all pets have different appetites so often, owners simply don’t understand how much they should be feeding their pet and the damage that too many treats can do.”