Anything Pawsible

Pet obesity is an under discussed health crisis. This condition is a significant health and welfare problem for dogs and cats and it often goes under diagnosed. Following recent studies showing that approximately 40 percent of pets are overweight, obesity is now the most common medical disorder of companion animals and a major welfare concern. It is now at epidemic proportions in the US and other industrialized countries. In some ways, this parallels the human population, which further highlights the depth of the human-animal bond.  Obesity is defined as an increase in fat tissue amount sufficient to contribute to disease. Dogs and cats weighing 10–19% more than optimal weight for their breed are considered overweight; those weighing 20% or more above the optimum weight are considered obese.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Ernie Ward to discuss the causes of this pet health crisis and what we can do to win the fight against pet obesity.  We also tackle some of the myths and misconceptions related to this incredibly deleterious medical condition. If the opening salvo against pet obesity is awareness and knowledge, then this episodes will put us one step closer to winning the battle. 

BIO:

Early in his career, Dr. Ward was instrumental in bringing senior pet care guidelines to general veterinary practices in 1999. In 2001, he developed and published protocols for monitoring pets receiving long term medications such as Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Previcox, Metacam, Enacard, thyroid hormone, prednisone and more. His chart for drug monitoring guidelines is found in most small animal veterinary hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Ward was an early promoter of mandatory pre-surgical blood testing for dogs and cats, the administration of intravenous fluids throughout the procedure and pre- and post-operative pain management, even for routine surgeries such as spay (OHE) and neuter (orchiectomy). Dr. Ward was an outspoken advocate for extended vaccination protocols as early as 1999. He was an early adopter of C02 laser surgery, beginning to use surgical lasers in his practice in 1999. He gave over fifty lectures in the US, Canada and Europe on the importance reducing pet vaccinations by using extended duration vaccines and wrote and produced a veterinary staff training video and guidebook on immunology and vaccinology in 2004. In 2005, he founded the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention to help raise awareness on the dangers of excess weight in dogs and cats. He wrote "Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs Are Getting Fatter" in 2010 and coauthored the American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats in 2014. He is a certified personal trainer and USA Triathlon certified coach and multiple Ironman finisher.