6 Mar 2026
Melbourne’s largest not for profit animal hospital has expressed serious concern for the health of pets with one in three pets now observed as overweight.
Lort Smith Animal Hospital vets said every pet carer has the responsibility of ensuring their pet maintains a healthy weight.
Chief Veterinarian Officer at the hospital, Dr Jessica Wilde, said the statistics are a worry.
‘’Being overweight can have disastrous consequences for our pets.
Overweight pets face significant, life-threatening health risks, including diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and often a reduced life expectancy,’’ said Dr Wilde.
‘’We want to start raising awareness of this serious issue now before numbers spike, and Victoria and in fact Australia, is faced with an obesity crisis in pets. We are now seeing more pets needing medical attention for conditions that could have been potentially avoided.’’
Dr Wilde said talking about overweight pets was not designed to ‘’fat shame.’’
‘’Pets are entirely reliant on their carer to provide all of its nutritional requirements and to make sure it remains healthy. We understand that for one reason or another, this can be sometimes difficult to manage and maintain,’’ she said.
A reduction in exercise and activity due to health conditions or arthritis of either you or your pet can play a role in weight gain. Excess feeding of titbits and treats, or having multiple family members feeding the pet, can also cause this.
If you notice your pets’ weight is creeping up, its best to take action immediately and seek advice from your local vet.’’
Lort Smith Animal Hospital’s Top Three Tips for keeping your pet in a healthy weight range are:
Increased exercise (where possible)
Reducing calories
Monitor treats