A pack of pooches hanker for a treat in Western Springs, Auckland. Photo / Jason Dorday
As weight-loss drugs take over the human world, could pets be next in line for the same treatment?
Kiwi owners succumbing to “puppy-dog eyes” and mournful whines for treats from their pets are contributing to high rates of obesity, vets say.
Healthy Pets New Zealand trustee Dr Cath Watson, who has been a veterinarian for more than 25 years, says obesity in pets is an “already large and growing problem”.
A San Francisco-based company, Okava, has been investigating the use of GLP-1 receptors in cats and found it generally has similar effects to weight-loss drugs on human patients.
The company is hoping to develop a long-acting implant for the commercial market rather than making pet owners inject their animals regularly.
Watson has witnessed an increase in the number of animals being overfed by their owners, often leading to “major and expensive” medical issues or the need for surgery.
Watson thinks it’s only a matter of time before weight-loss drugs as a method of treatment for vets arrive.
“I think potentially there is a high future for weight-loss drugs in the vet industry ... they have some huge benefits, but we shouldn’t be relying on them as the only solution,” she said.
Southern Institute of Technology veterinarian nurse trainer Mel Shuttleworth held a training clinic where vet students examined 190 animals over just two days.
A trend Shuttleworth observed amongst the pets alarmed her.
“The amount of obese animals that came through our doors during that two-day period was unreal,” she said.
Shuttleworth has some reservations about what weight-loss drugs might mean for pet owners.
“It [obesity] doesn’t just happen overnight,” she said.
“Dogs can’t go and open up a fridge for themselves or the food bag, realistically it’s us to blame.”
She said weight loss in animals needs to happen in a “slow and controlled manner” and pets could risk running into other health issues if their digestive system couldn’t cope with the sudden change.
As weight-loss drugs for pets look set to become a reality, animal owners are finding other ways to keep the extra pounds off their pooches.
Professional dog walkers are a growing service in New Zealand.
At Meola Reef Dog Park in Western Springs, dog walker Greta Ashleigh strides through a lush field surrounded by a pack of bouncing dogs, their golden coats smeared with mud.
It’s a fulltime job for Ashleigh, who walks about 25 dogs per week from suburbs all over Auckland.
She said it’s not only wealthy people who pay for their dogs to be walked, and many of her clients are simply bound to office desk jobs or own a particularly energetic breed of dog.
It costs about $45 per walk for Ashleigh’s service and she is passionate about ensuring dogs get to sniff, play and socialise outdoors – and are not just bound to a leash.
Ashleigh worries weight-loss drugs for dogs will allow owners to pay for a quick solution that will lessen the quality of life of their pet.
Dogs thrive in settings where their senses are enriched and they can explore new environments, she said, and her walks also involve basic training, which helps them to behave well and be more tolerant.
“Consistent, enriched walking can transform a dog’s life,” Ashleigh said.
Weight can be a sensitive topic for vets to talk about with their clients because owners might be in denial or react defensively.
However, the problem can’t just be ignored, Watson said, because the negative health impacts of obesity in animals are far-reaching.
There’s the increased risk for diabetes, inflammation of the pancreas, skin diseases or joint problems, she said.
“It’s complicated because yes, in some respects it [weight-loss drugs] is saying I’ve got an easy way out of this,” Watson said.
“But if life was that simple, we would all be the ideal weight and exercising as much as we should be. Life gets in the way.”
Shuttleworth said obesity is a pressing issue for vets that needs to be better addressed by owners.
It has been exacerbated by a perception the public has of fat, more chunky animals as being “very cute”, she said.
Watson said the public can often mistake a “healthy” weight as being underweight in animals due to their small size.
She said giving in to “puppy-dog eyes” is common for owners, and often they don’t realise that a piece of cheese or a sausage is a very large amount for a tiny animal, unlike a human.
A golden Labrador called Zoe who came to Ashleigh’s dog-walking service weighing about 40kg was barely able to walk half a kilometre.
Over time, alongside big changes to her diet, Zoe lost weight, could walk properly and swim again.
“The owner was like, she’s so happy now. Not only has she lost weight, but she got a new lease on life,” Ashleigh said.
Watson said obesity is a challenging topic to confront but ultimately pet owners have a duty of care to their animal.
Shuttleworth helped a 12.2kg cat called Whiskey lose 50% of her body weight: “She was like a barrel.”
After dropping the weight, Whiskey’s mood improved and her fur became glossy again because she was able to reach around to groom herself.
“The results were remarkable,” Shuttleworth said.
She doesn’t want owners to feel ashamed or worried about being judged for bringing their pets in for check-ups if they are overweight.
It may take time, but diet and lifestyle changes could transform their animal’s wellbeing, Shuttleworth said.
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