When the client says, "My chubby pet is cute!"

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The client says: "Does my cat really need to lose weight? Fat animals are so much cuter! Tiger is such a sweet fat girl!" How would you respond? Check out the right (and wrong) way to handle this client's concerns.

Don't say: "Of course she is! I think all kitties look great with about 10 extra pounds!"

Do say: "Yes, you may think Tiger is cuddly when she has those extra pounds on her, but her weight puts her at risk for diabetes, heart issues and joint pain. It's a struggle to haul all those extra pounds around. Is she moving around as much as she used to? She may be painful. Also, if she becomes diabetic you will need to monitor her food intake and give her injections of insulin twice a day. She has a shorter life span by being overweight, and I know you want to keep her around as long as you can because you love her so much! Let's create a weight loss feeding plan together for Tiger."

Kyle Wendy Skultety, LVT, CVT, is technician supervisor at VCA Twin Rivers in East Windsor, New Jersey.