Your Furry Companion May Have Also Gained Quarantine Weight

We often talk about the "COVID 15", which is the fifteen pounds people have said they gained during the pandemic lockdown. It was certainly a rough year all around, there wasn't much to do- but boy, did we all learn to make bread and different foods!

A new report is actually suggesting that the average American actually gained MORE than 15 pounds! One in ten people say they actually gained more than 50 pounds during the lockdown! Someone else who may have put on some extra pounds during lockdown? Your fur baby!

That's right, your pet may have also been affected by the pandemic! A new study by Banfield Pet Hospital finds America's pets have been gaining weight too. When looking at data from March 2020 to December 2020, dogs diagnosed as overweight or obese rose 2.3%, the largest increase in overweight/obese canines seen at Banfield in the past 10 years. Cats were no better! 38% of cats were considered overweight or obese in 2020, an increase from 18% in 2011.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Having an overweight pet comes with a lot of complications, just like with humans. Vets really don't have a definitive answer as to why pet obesity is on the rise. When surveyed, 93% of pet owners have admitted that keeping their pet at a  healthy weight as been a struggle, which I totally understand! How can you look at their cute face and deny them their treats or more food?! 46% of pet owners admit to giving in when their pet begs for food or treats!

Overall, I think if this pandemic has taught us anything is we need to take better care of ourselves and our fur babies!