Learn how IDEXX is enhancing the lives of animals, people, and the planet.

IDEXX: Contributing to something bigger

As the number of pets in America has continued to grow over the past decades, pets’ waistlines also have grown. This epidemic, along with a passion for both human and pet health, inspired Ernie Ward, DVM, CVFT, to create the nonprofit organization, Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) in 2005.

In 2007, APOP began conducting surveys, and the results confirmed that far too many companion animals were overweight or obese—53% of cats and 43% of dogs. By 2018, the numbers increased to an astounding 60% of cats and 56% of dogs being overweight or obese.

 Many studies have long provided evidence that being overweight or obese impacts life span and quality of life for both humans and animals. The most well-known and comprehensive dog study on this topic may be Nestlé Purina’s Life Span Study.

 The results revealed that maintaining a dog’s lean body condition extended its median life span by 15%. For dogs and cats, the problems associated with being overweight or obese are numerous, such as increased risks of developing osteoarthritis, cancer, and various behavior problems. Packing on the pounds is also associated with what many are calling an epidemic of diabetes mellitus in cats.

In 2018, APOP published its Global Pet Obesity Initiative, a position statement now signed by 25 of the world’s largest veterinary medical organizations.

APOP established a universal definition of pet obesity and a standardized body condition score (BCS) scale, and it declared that pet obesity is categorized as a disease in companion animals as it is in humans.

Though the veterinary data are objective, owners’ views on what indicates an obese or overweight pet are more subjective, and APOP discovered their perceptions over the years have changed. In other words, your average great-grandmother might have called her cat or dog “very chubby,” whereas pet owners today consider an animal of the same weight and same BCS quite acceptable. This has been dubbed “the fat gap.”

“According to our 2021 Weight Management, Nutrition, and Pet Food Survey, 39% of dog owners and 45% of cat owners consider their pets overweight or obese. This contrasts with numerous reports indicating over 50% of dogs and cats are overweight or obese. The majority of pet owners and veterinary professionals believe pet obesity is a disease, with 72% of pet owners and 87% of veterinary professionals responding ‘yes,’ ” Ward said.

At some level, owners know that being overweight or obese can’t be good for their pets. Still, the numbers of overweight and obese animals continue to escalate. Are owners loving their pets to death? The human-animal bond is at an all-time high. More cats have become exclusively indoor pets, and approximately 50% of all dogs share a human bed.

 Yet it appears the number of overweight and obese pets isn’t declining.

“Obesity is a complex disease with many causes and contributors. We need to start by raising awareness among pet parents on how to recognize unhealthy body conditions in their dogs or cats,” Ward said. “We also must do a better job educating pet parents about the increased health risks and reduced life expectancy and quality of life associated with obesity. Veterinarians require more precise diagnostic tools than judging pet feeding behaviors and body condition scores. We also need more effective treatments than ‘feed less, exercise more.’ If simply eating less food and exercising more worked with every human or pet, we wouldn’t continue seeing escalations in human and pet obesity rates worldwide.”

To address this, APOP recently released a veterinary clinic obesity prevalence survey and also a survey for pet owners to complete.

 Ward said veterinary participation in the survey is vital because taking a next step is difficult without data. “Our ultimate goal is to end pet obesity. Until we achieve that, we will continue to be dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of pets with obesity,” Ward said.

, writes for veterinary professionals and pet owners, hosts 2 national radio programs, and has appeared on TV shows, including Good Morning America and The Oprah Winfrey Show. He is on the dvm360

 Editorial Advisory Board as well as the boards of the Human Animal Bond Association and EveryCat Foundation. He appears at conferences around the world. Visit stevedale.tv.

Association of Pet Obesity Prevention. Accessed December 14, 2022. https:// petobesityprevention.org

Kealy RD, Lawler DF, Ballam JM, et al. Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. 

. 2002;220(9):1315- 1320. doi:10.2460/javma.2002.220.1315.

Dale S. Diabetic pets is an epidemic. November 20, 2012. Accessed December 14, 2022. https://stevedalepetworld.com/blog/diabete-pets-an-epidemic

Ward E, German AJ, Churchill JA. The Global Pet Obesity Initiative Position. Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. 2018. Accessed December 14, 2022. https://petobesityprevention.org/global-pet-obesity-initiative

Ward E. The fat pet reality gap: why good owners let their
pets gain weight. VetStreet. February 7, 2012. Accessed
December 14, 2022. https://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/ the-fat-pet-reality-gap-why-good-owners-let-their-pets-gain-weight

2021-2022 American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey. American Pet Products Association. https://www.americanpetproducts.org/ pubs_survey.asp

Articles

A new veterinary clinic obesity prevalence survey aims to collect data

The pet obesity epidemic: are we loving our pets to death?

The Vets, a mobile veterinary service provider, has named Zach Mills, DVM, as its vice president of medical performance.

 Mills’ role as VP of medical performance will consist of expanding strategic partnerships and alliances, ensuring that The Vets offers the highest level of patient care, and fostering a sustainable work environment and culture of inclusion within the veterinary team.

"We are thrilled to have Zach join our team," stated Daniel Sagis, CEO of The Vets, in the release. "With his extensive experience in preventative medicine and passion for leadership development, Zach will be a valuable asset in our mission to deliver gold-standard, at-home veterinary care."

Mills provides over 20 years of experience in the veterinary industry to The Vets, including his most recent role as head of veterinary professional services for the US Pet Business unit at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. Additionally, he serves as the 352d Civil Affairs Command Preventive Medicine Veterinarian, where he creates and incorporates veterinary Civil Affairs strategy and training.

"I am excited to be part of a company that is changing the way we approach pet care," expressed Mills. "The Vets' unique, at-home service model offers a more convenient option for pet owners and allows veterinarians to spend more time with patients, reducing burnout and promoting job satisfaction."

The Vets hires Dr. Zach Mills as VP of medical performance. News release. The Vets. January 31, 2023. Accessed January 31, 2023. 

https://thevets.com/the-vets-hires-dr-zach-mills/

Newly created position addresses company's significant growth and momentum throughout the last year

The Vets appoints Dr Zach Mills to VP of Medical Performance 

 interview at our Fetch Conference in San Diego, California, Mariana Pardo, BVSc, MV, DACVECC, outlines the useful insights that acid-base interpretation offers veterinary professionals. 

The following is a partial transcript of the video.

 [Acid-base interpretation] is easy bloodwork that you can do, point of care that's going to really clue you in potentially what differentials you have, what additional diagnostics, you need to offer, even potentially about prognosis. 

Videos

In a dvm360® interview, Dr Mariana Pardo explains why this is an invaluable tool in veterinary medicine

Brief overview of acid-base interpretation 

Following the 2023 Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX), Jenna Dockweiler, MS, DVM, DACT, CCRT, CVAT, told 

 about the important information genetic screenings can tell you about your patient. She also offered tips on encouraging clients to get their pet tested. 

Jenna Dockweiler, MS, DVM, DACT, CCRT, CVAT:

 So we do consider genetic screening prognostic rather than diagnostic. So it's able to tell you what a patient may be at risk for in the future. If we know that information ahead of time, then we potentially can make changes to lifestyle, to diet, add in medications, sometimes complementary therapies—like acupuncture, physical rehabilitation—to either slow progession, improve quality of life, or sometimes even prevent symptoms from occuring all together. 

In an interview with dvm360®, Dr Dockweiler explained the importance of genetic screening and how to communicate that with clients

Communicating the importance of genetic screening

2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize Finalists (Image courtesy of Nestle Purina PetCare)

Purina disclosed the 4 winning pet care startup companies from the United States and Canada that won its 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize. Ranging from at-home age estimations for cats and dogs to an app that uses artificial intelligence to measure pets’ feelings, each winner represents the latest technology in the pet care industry.

"Enriching the lives of pets and the people who love them is our purpose and our passion at Purina. Working with startups who share our passion for pets and the tireless pursuit of innovation allows us to inspire and help each other on this journey," said Blair Morgan, co-lead of Purina's 9 Square Ventures group, and vice president, of strategy and innovation for Purina, in an organizational release.

 "This year's class of winners showcases the breadth of opportunities that exist in the pet industry, and our team is excited to help mentor and support them as they grow."

: A countertop appliance that creates home-cooked meals for dogs. This Phoenix, Arizona-based company provides highly nutritious meals featuring essential vitamins, fruits, grains, vegetables, and whole proteins in its Artie Harvest Bowls.

: This company based out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, created a pet age testing kit that pet owners can use to estimate their pet’s birthday. By using an oral swab, the pet's age can be determined, and the company will also offer nutrition, behavior insights, and other information based on the stage of life the pet is in to create a proactive healthcare management plan.

: Based out of Los Angeles, California, this company makes dog food free of preservatives, fillers, and additives. The food contains premium, human-grade ingredients and does not require refrigeration until opened.

The creators of OraStripdx, the Huntsville, Alabama-based company launched a rapid screen test that veterinary professionals can use to detect periodontal disease in dogs and cats while it remains unseen by the naked eye. The results are available within 10 seconds so proper care can be quickly recommended.

This Calgary, Alberta Canada-based company launched a predictive visual healthcare product using artificial intelligence. Tably, the company’s first app, uses AI-trained veterinarian-approved pain scales and sees how cats are feeling based on facial cues.

Almost 140 companies in the United States and Canada applied for this prize. According to the release, the 5 winners will receive mentorship from the Pet Care Innovation team, an accelerator boot camp at Purina’s headquarters in St Louis, Missouri that features pet experts from Purina and the pet care industry, and $25,000.

 The 5 finalists will also compete in a pitch competition at Global Pet Expo in March 2023, where they will present their businesses to an audience of both investors and industry influencers. The winner of this pitch competition will receive an additional $25,000 in cash.

Purina announces 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize winners. News release. Nestle Purina PetCare. January 31, 2023. Accessed January 31,2023. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/purina-announces-2023-pet-care-innovation-prize-winners-301734083.html

Five veterinary care startups from North America have won this 7th annual award

Purina announces its 2023 Pet Care Innovation Prize winners

Photo courtesy of AmeriVet Veterinary Partners.

AmeriVet Veterinary Partners has been named a 2022 Business of the Year by San Antonio Business Journal. The recognition was presented at the San Antonio Business Journal's gala event and awards ceremony on January 25, 2023, held at the McNay Art Museum.

"AmeriVet is humbled to be included as a 2022 Business of the Year honoree and included on the list with this group of distinguished companies that do so much to make San Antonio great," expressed Thomas Thill, chief executive officer of AmeriVet Veterinary Partners, in a company release.

 "This award further emphasizes the value we bring to our partners and the veterinary industry. We are extremely grateful for our hardworking team members, who undoubtedly set AmeriVet up for continued success."

The San Antonio Business Journal spotlighted businesses that overcame major challenges of the year through this award, including supply chain issues, worker shortages, and higher costs of goods and services. The honoree list featured 11 companies in the general contractor, retail, real estate, healthcare, business services, advertising, and restaurant industry.

AmeriVet’s significant growth in 2022 helped contribute to the win. According to the release,

the organization expanded from 134 locations and 2,266 employees in 2021 to 196 locations and 3,443 employees in 2022. What’s more, they offered care to over 2 million pets in 2022 and maintained an average Google review score of 4.5 stars throughout their network of 196 practices across the US.

Additionally, AmeriVet received this recognition because of its dedication to its industry and its community. The company created a scholarship program, wherein it paid full tuition for 50 of its future licensed veterinary technicians, with 25 more students being chosen in spring and fall 2023. AmeriVet also incorporated its 

 program to launch its philanthropic efforts. In 2022, AmeriVet Cares sponsored San Antonio Pets Alive!, became a Superhero level sponsor of Not One More Vet (NOMV), hosted quarterly volunteer outings for its home office employees in San Antonio, and collaborated with local animal rescues to display adoptable animals at industry events/conferences.

AmeriVet Veterinary Partners named a 2022 Business of the Year by the San Antonio Business Journal. News release. AmeriVet Veterinary Partners. January 31, 2023. Accessed January 31, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amerivet-veterinary-partners-named-a-2022-business-of-the-year-by-the-san-antonio-business-journal-301733656.html

Second time the company has received this recognition named by the San Antonio Business Journal

SAP Partners