Four in 10 of our pets are overweight according to vets

More than four in 10 (43%) of the cats and dogs seen by Britain's vets are overweight, according to research by Sainsbury's Finance.

Sainsbury's Finance is warning that many medical conditions suffered by our cats and dogs are linked to or worsened by being overweight, and that allowing your pet to become overweight could put a strain on the purse strings because of the extra vet fees and medication costs. Furthermore, the Bank warns that those with pet insurance could be risking invalidating their claim as they could be found to have not taken proper care of their pet dog or cat.

The findings, which come from a survey of veterinary surgeons across the country, reveal that they are seeing more overweight dogs than cats, with almost half (47%) of all dogs seen by vets being described as overweight. More than one in four (26%) dogs were considered obese, with 21% being described as slightly overweight. There is also a weight problem amongst cats however, with 19% of them being classified as obese, and 20% considered slightly overweight, giving a total of 39% who are overweight.

Neal Devine, Sainsbury's Pet Insurance Manager said: "We are seeing a worrying percentage of cats and dogs being taken to the vet who are overweight. People often think they are being kind to their pet by giving it treats, but being overweight can influence and worsen many medical conditions in pets, such as osteoarthritis and respiratory disorders, conditions that can be very uncomfortable for the animal."

Of those medical conditions which can be linked to obesity, osteoarthritis is the one most commonly seen by Sainsbury's Pet Insurance, closely followed by heart disease or congestive heart failure.

Top five conditions influenced by pets being overweight claimed for on Sainsbury's Pet Insurance

Osteoarthritis
Heart disease / congestive heart failure
Renal (kidney) problems
Type 2 diabetes
Respiratory disorders

Neal Devine continues: "Veterinary and medication costs for long-term conditions such as arthritis can add up to a lot of money over the course of the animal's lifetime. It is important that pet owners are properly insured by policies with adequate levels of cover, so that to avoid getting hit hard in the pocket.

"Every pet owner has a duty of care to their animal, and if reasonable care has not been taken to prevent an animal becoming overweight, you could potentially invalidate your insurance."

Good quality pet insurance does not need to be expensive, good cover at a competitive price can be found by shopping around. Sainsbury's Pet Insurance is designed to offer some of the widest range of benefits available at a competitive price. For further information log on to sainsburys.co.uk or pick up a leaflet in a Sainsbury's supermarket. Sainsbury's offers a range of nutritionally balanced foods and snacks for cats and dogs.