Pete the Vet: Why does Ireland have an epidemic of fat pets?

Pete Wedderburn looks at the five factors behind overweight pets

Pete the Vet: The most common health issue to affect Irish pets is completely preventable: being overweight and obese. This affects around 40% of cats, 60% of dogs and 28% of rabbits.

The most common health issue affecting Irish pets is completely preventable: being overweight and obese. This affects around 40% of cats, 60% of dogs and 28% of rabbits. These pets’ lifespans are up to two years shorter, and they suffer from a reduced quality of life, with more illness and a reduced sense of well being.

It’s now recognised that obesity is a chronic inflammatory disease, causing biochemical changes in the bloodstream that can be measured, with elevated inflammatory markers. Obese pets feel bad, move around more slowly and have less enjoyment of life.