Dog That Doesn’t Eat Much Is Much Too Fat

Q. We have a 6-year-old female Schnauzer which has become very overweight. It seems that she has gradually gotten fatter without eating too much. We have tried to increase her exercise but it doesn’t seem to be doing very much good. She is still active and does go on walks with us but this doesn’t seem to make any difference.

She is fed dry food with an occasional can of food added to give it some flavor. She gets an occasional treat from us but not every day. I know that this isn’t good for her and we are going to stop.

What else do you suggest that we do to help her lose all this excess weight? Is there a special food that we can feed her or are there any medications like diet pills that we can give her?

Carol Yarbor, Cerritos

A. Obesity in our pets is as serious a problem as it is in people. All the extra weight puts a strain on the cardiovascular system and increases the chance of injury during exercise.

Controlling the food intake as well as regulating the exercise are the major ways of reducing your pet’s weight problem. You must exhibit some self-control in feeding her snacks and treats, especially from the table.

With any proper diet program, you should have your pet throughly examined by your veterinarian. It may be necessary to do some blood tests to evaluate your pet’s organ systems as well as her metabolic status, especially her thyroid levels. If she is low on her thyroid levels, your veterinarian will start her on medication that she will have to take for the rest of her life.

Your veterinarian will set a target weight for her and probably start her on a controlled diet program, possibly using a prescription diet such as R/D. This should be fed exclusively at a specific amount.

Weighing your pet every week to two weeks will help monitor her progress. Regular exercise will definitely help her achieve her desired weight more quickly. You must remember that diet control for your pet will require the cooperation of everyone in the family or the plan will fail.

Q. Is it possible for a neutered male cat to start spraying? Nelson, our 3-year-old cat, is basically an indoor cat who is allowed to go out every once in a while. Over the last several weeks he has started to spray or urinate on the rug near the front door. Does he do this because he wants to go outside? He has never done this before and has always been a well-behaved cat. What can we do to stop this problem?

Karen Meares, Santa Ana

A. Spraying is generally a behavioral pattern of a dominant cat and is often seen when a new cat or pet is added to the home or if a strange cat starts to come into the yard and hang around the windows or doors. Your cat is attempting to mark “his” territory and re-establish his dominance. Keeping the stray cat away will generally eliminate the cause of the problem.

It may be necessary to put your cat on a hormone medication, such as Ovaban, to help reduce the behavioral problem. You should also remove the rug, if possible, or clean the odor from the area. If it still persists, you might have to have Nelson checked out by your veterinarian.