Dog Owners May Be More Likely To Spend More Money On Weight Management Pet Food

Talking to people about the shortened life expectancy of pets due to obesity can be particularly influential.

The humanization of pets includes the humanization of pet diseases. As with people in many regions, obesity-related health problems are a greater risk than malnutrition and starvation in dogs and cats. Despite the prevalence of pet obesity, veterinarians still face challenges in communicating the dangers of pet obesity. Talking to people about the shortened life expectancy of pets due to obesity can be particularly influential. In a survey of 1,108 dog owners, life expectancy was the most important aspect of obesity-related communication with the veterinarian (relative importance, 28.56%), while price changes were less important.

The researchers wrote in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association: "By incorporating client-valued information into these discussions and emphasizing the positive impact of achieving or maintaining an ideal body weight on longevity, veterinary professionals can more effectively support clients in taking action to prevent or address their pet's overweight problem.

The second most important message in obesity-related communication was the timing of the onset of arthritis (19.24%). The study authors cite earlier research that demonstrated that the most critical aspect of effective management and prevention of osteoarthritis is achieving and maintaining a lean body condition through proper nutrition and feeding practices.

They write: "This lifelong study of dietary restriction and aging in dogs shows that maintaining an ideal body condition score through dietary restriction significantly delays the onset of late-life disease, particularly osteoarthritis." "Veterinary professionals can use these findings in preventative weight and obesity-related conversations with clients to emphasize the direct link between weight management and joint health. By doing so, veterinary professionals may have the opportunity to proactively improve the overall health of dogs and reduce the risk of obesity-related disease."

It is not enough to survive. The future quality of life of the dog was the third most relevant topic in the veterinarian's communication about obesity (18.91%). Quality of life is difficult to define, and the researchers believe this ambiguity is related to its lower importance for dog owners.

Weight-related Dog Food Costs

The change in food cost (18.90%) closely followed the quality of life.

"When changing the attribute of food cost, participants preferred a diet that cost CAD 0.19/d more than the baseline, followed by a preference for the same price," they wrote. "These results suggest that participating dog owners may not consider cost as the most important factor when deciding whether to address their pet's weight and that they are willing to increase their cost at least to some extent to address their pet's weight. The presentation of the daily cost may also not be typical of how owners perceive the cost of feeding their pets compared to the total upfront cost of a single purchase of diet. Preferences identified in DCE studies should not be interpreted outside the context of the attributes and levels used in the individual study. Further research is therefore needed on the role of pet owners' WTP in taking action to address their pet's overweight or obesity. Specifically, future research on pet owners' cost-bearing capacity should include examining their WTP in the context of their understanding of the possible benefits of weight management for their pets.

Pet food industry professionals can apply these insights to consumer education, focusing on the impact of obesity on life expectancy, arthritis prevention, and the overall benefits of maintaining an ideal body weight. Tailoring communication to these priorities for pet owners may ultimately improve the health and longevity of companion animals.

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Note: This article is from the petfoodindustry website, written by Tim Wall. If the article infringes on your copyright, please contact me to delete it!