Practical weight loss tips: Help put portly veterinary patients on a path to success

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It's no secret that many veterinary patients are overweight and getting their owners to comply with a weight loss plan is tough. Cailin Heinze, MS, VMD, DACVN, shared with attendees at Fetch dvm360 conference in Kansas City some methods to motivate pet owners and make getting pets to a healthy weight a little easier.

Keep weight at the forefront

The pet's weight and body condition score (BCS) should be discussed at every veterinary appointment, Dr. Heinze says. If a pet's weight starts to trend toward overweight (BCS of 5 to 5.9), it can be addressed while it is still potentially correctable through adjusting the pet's food portions. A yearly visit is also a good time to make sure the pet is eating an appropriate diet for its lifestyle-and not getting too many treats or table scraps (which should make up less than 10% of daily calorie intake). Ensure the patient is eating a balanced diet and an appropriate amount, says Dr. Heinze.

"It's really important that the entire veterinary team, including the doctors, present an honest, united front about the pet's weight," Dr. Heinze says. "If Dr. X writes the correct BCS score on the chart and then tells the client their pet is 'cute at this weight,' it will undermine anyone else who tries to counsel the client about getting their pet's weight under control."

Encourage clients with a contest

Successfully maintaining a weight loss plan can be frustrating for veterinary clients. But the veterinary team can help by encouraging clients. You can start by assigning a technician or team of technicians to be “weight loss czars” to help motivate and support clients, and also handle all weigh-ins for patients, Dr. Heinze says.

Another approach to try? Set up a “Biggest Loser” or “Weight Watchers” type program at your practice to help encourage client compliance. The team can set up reminder calls for weigh-ins, create visual aids like line graphs of weight loss over time (which can be made with a template in Excel), and post before and after photos of participating pets in the reception area to help motivate clients. Make sure you get the pet owner's permission to display their pet's information first, Dr. Heinze notes. Small prizes, like ribbons or discounts, can be offered as incentives for owners who are successful in getting their pets to lose weight.