About every third client you see is likely overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When you tell someone their pet is overweight, you might as well rub their own weight problem in their face. Weight is personal. Yet, when it comes to a pet’s health, veterinarians are obligated to deliver the news effectively.
Source: DVM 360, March 9, 2016.
Four things to consider the next time you’ve got an obese pet and the owner in your exam room: 1) this IS an intervention, 2) take things slow, 3) drugs aren’t (always) the answer, 4) it’s a shared responsibility.