Keep your pet slim and healthy

Pet owners are being prompted to help their pets shed any extra Christmas pounds and get them in shape to help prevent long-term illness. Recent research found that 46% of pet owners prepared a special Christmas dinner for their pet, and 38% admit that their pet put on weight over the Christmas period.*

• 38% of pets put on weight over Christmas*
• One in three British pets overweight**
• Obese pets are more likely to develop long-term illnesses – but will your insurer cover you?

Despite this few owners seem to be taking obesity in their animals seriously - only 13% plan to put their beloved animal on a New Year diet or exercise regime in order to get them back in shape.

Further research** by Halifax Pet Insurance among Britain’s vets, shows that the problem of pet obesity is not just prevalent over Christmas. The insurer found that an astonishing one in three (33%) pets visiting veterinary surgeons are considered to be overweight.

And some vets are pointing the finger at celebrity pet owners. 44% of veterinary surgeries blamed celebrity pet owners for promoting irresponsible pet ownership and 33% agreed that too many pets are being used as fashion accessories with not enough regard for their overall welfare.

With heart complaints, diabetes and arthritis being listed as just a few of the long-term health problems associated with pets carrying excess weight, Halifax Pet Insurance is asking owners to consider whether they might be doing more harm than good.

The insurer also warns that not all insurance policies will cover the full ongoing cost of a chronic, long-term pet illness such as diabetes. Many pet insurance policies only offer cover on a per-condition basis, meaning that once the limit for vets' fees has been used up there is no further cover available.

So to be on the safe side you need to check whether your policy will provide you with all the necessary long-term treatment for their pets on life-long cover basis.