Obesity

fat cat

Excess weight is a serious health problem for dogs and cats and is common in many countries. The two main causes of obesity are too much food and too little exercise. Other contributing factors can be due to hormonal influences, certain genetic factors, and other disease processes.

If you pet is carrying extra weight, it can:

  1. Increase the risk of heart disease by forcing the heart to work harder.
  2. Increase the risk of arthritis as extra weight can stress the joints, cause joint pain, and make it harder for your pet to move around comfortably.
  3. Obesity can cause breathing problems, skin and hair coat problems.
  4. Especially in cats, obesity frequently leads to diabetes.

All of these problems can make your pet uncomfortable and limit the way they interact with you and other family members.

Treatment is to rule out and treat any medical causes, such as hypothyroidism. Reducing caloric intake and increasing exercise can help your pet successfully lose weight. Lifestyle changes and a weight loss program are essential. Your veterinarian can help determine if your pet is too heavy and provide guidelines for achieving their ideal weight. Slentrol is an oral weight loss drug for obese dogs that are not able to lose weight by other means.

Sign up using the form below or call (508) 947-1309 to make an appointment.

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

8:30 am-7:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-7:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

8:30 am-1:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Location

Find us on the map

Testimonial

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "I'm so pleased with the experience I had at lakeville animal hospital. I am traveling with my dog from northern Maine to visit family and my dog had been sick for 3 days. She couldn't keep any food or water down. Long story short I called lakeville animal hospital and they were able to squeeze Aspen in later on in the day. Turns out the reason Aspen had been sick was that she had atleast one blockage in her intestines. They immediately sent us to a 24 hour emergency vet in Swansea for a surgery. Aspen is now out of surgery with 2 incisions in her intestines and 1 in her stomach. Being a long way from home with a sick puppy is not fun and is quite stressful. But I'm thankful the crew at lakeville animal hospital was able to see her so soon, take X-rays, give her a diagnosis, and make a recommendation for a 24 hour surgery facility."
    Rachel G. Lakeville, MA

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

Newsletter Signup

Sign up for more articles