It's do or diet for SA pets

There thousand dogs and cats in South Africa and Namibia are on a mission to become losers.

Altogether, these overweight pets must shed 13 000kg and have joined slimming programmes at 350 veterinary clinics.

The number of overweight pets around the world is climbing, and South Africa is no exception.

In March, the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention reported that in 2012, 80million cats and dogs in the US were overweight.

Many veterinarians in South Africa have reported that half the pets they see are overweight.

Dr Todd Towell, a US expert on pet obesity, said owners have to take care as obese animals are at high risk of developing a host of complications such as arthritis, diabetes and cancer.

But she indicated that many veterinarians are "too reluctant to initiate a conversation about overweight pets" when their owners are overweight themselves.

According to a 2010 health survey by GlaxoSmithKline, 61% of South Africans are overweight.

"Overweight pets are suffering in silence," said Towell.

"Returning them to their ideal body weight will reduce their suffering."

Dr Guy Fyvie, the veterinary affairs manager for Hill's Pet Nutrition, said the top dog breeds on the Hill's Pet Slimmer Programme are labradors, Jack Russells, dachshunds, pugs and miniature pinschers.

Veterinary nutritional adviser Janie Budd said cats are more difficult to work with than dogs as they can simply catch something to eat, or might pilfer a neighbour's cat food.

Budd has been running the slimming programme at the Avalon Veterinary Hospital since 2004.

"Often owners will feed their animals according to the way they feed themselves. People think of animals in human terms," said Budd.

"Many of the pets we see get tea and biscuits and toast in the mornings with their owners. And, of course, table scraps. Owners do it out of love and to change that mindset is very difficult."

Budd said whatever pet food their animals eat, owners should look at the daily allowance for their animal according to the ideal weight they should be. This daily allowance should be halved and the animal fed twice daily.