APOP, Virbac team up to tackle pet obesity

WESTLAKE, TEXAS — On Sept. 4, Virbac, an animal health company, announced its partnership with the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) to help address the growing issue of pet obesity throughout the United States. Through their partnership, the organizations aim to tackle the root causes of pet obesity and create a healthier future for pets.

According to the APOP’s 2023 Pet Owner and Veterinary Professional Survey, 59% of dogs and 61% of cats were classified as overweight or obese in the United States, but only 17% of dog owners and 28% of cat owners acknowledge their pets were overweight. Sixty-three percent of dog parents and 45% of cat parents have tried to help their pet lose weight; however, only 16% of dog owners and 24% of cat owners have tried using therapeutic/prescription weight loss pet foods. 

The hormonal and metabolic changes pets undergo following spaying and neutering procedures is believed to play a role in pet obesity. While spaying and neutering can be beneficial to pet health, the procedures often result in a 30% decrease of basal metabolic rate and a 60% increase in appetite in pets. Pet owners are usually unaware of these changes and continue to feed their pets the same diet and portion sizes. According to the Pet Nutrition Alliance, dogs are twice as likely to become obese and cats are 3.4 times as likely to become obese following these procedures. 

With this in mind, APOP and Virbac will collaborate to create educational resources and tools for pet owners and veterinarians, detailing the importance of more tailored nutrition to help maintain pets’ metabolic health following spaying or neutering. The organizations believe that educating pet owners early in a pets’ life will help prevent pets from becoming overweight. 

“We are excited to welcome Virbac, as they will enhance our ability to address pet obesity through innovative nutrition solutions and providing vets with dietary interventions, tools and support,” said Ernie Ward, DVM, CVET, president and founder of APOP. “We are incredibly excited to work with Virbac’s global network of experts and innovators to help achieve our goals.”

Virbac offers 50 years of experience in animal health and more than three decades of expertise in developing functional pet foods and therapeutic formulas to address a variety of pet health issues. In fact, in 2022, the company released a line of pet foods — Veterinary HPM — specifically  formulated for spayed and neutered dogs and cats.

“Our collaboration with APOP underscores Virbac's commitment to positively changing the landscape on improving the health and wellbeing of pets through targeted interventions,” said Fabrice Payot, DVM, vice president of new business at Virbac. “It’s so important for veterinarians and their clients to understand the root cause of obesity and how metabolic changes occur after the pet has been spayed or neutered trigger weight gain. We can help make a difference by tailoring their diet to one that is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates. We are also passionate about educating pet owners so they can make informed decisions.”

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