While discussions related to nutrition might sometimes take the back seat during wellness checks, veterinarians should play a proactive role in their patients’ diets.
This is according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). The group has partnered with Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets in the fight against companion animal obesity.
Specifically, the new partnership strives to address the growing issue by informing veterinary professionals, as well as the pet-owning public, about the trajectory of pet obesity trends and the importance of obesity prevention and management.
“Since we began tracking pet obesity incidence rates in 2006, the percentage of overweight and obese pets has steadily increased,” says APOP president, Ernie Ward, DVM. “Turning this trend around will take the combined efforts of veterinarians, veterinary staff members, pet owners, and the pet food industry itself.”
In APOP’s 2022 pet obesity pet owner survey, 59 percent of dogs and 61 percent of cats were classified as overweight or having obesity, Purina reports.
As APOP’s first charter sponsor, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets will help equip the association to continue its obesity research and deploy communications resources to expand outreach efforts.
“Given our knowledge of pet nutrition and its role in the pet-owner relationship, as well as our commitment to reducing the incidence of pet obesity, we look forward to supporting APOP in its expanded efforts to reach veterinary professionals and pet owners,” says Jason Gagné, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition), Director of Veterinary Communications for Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets. “Through our combined efforts, we hope to make a measurable difference in pet obesity awareness and implementing practical strategies to address it.”