This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri.
This episode was recorded at the 2025 Petfood Forum in Kansas City, Missouri.
Guests introduce themselves and their backgrounds (00:56)
Dr. Gross gives an overview of her presentation, including the rise of pet obesity and the lack of industry response in providing products for today’s less active pets. Upwards of 60% of dogs and cats in the US are considered overweight or obese. Her talk focused on what the industry can do to help pet parents battle obesity issues in their pets. Options include creating new pet foods, using different ingredients in pet foods, and educating about underlying health issues to help pet parents find better solutions. (6:51)
Dr. Gross and Dr. Hobbs talk about body condition scoring pets and how pet parents perceive whether their pet is overweight or not. Dr. Gross notes there are artificial intelligence models being trained to evaluate pet body condition from photographs. (10:31)
Nicole notes that her company’s research has shown about 15% of dog parents in the prior 12 months have purchased either a food, treat, or supplement for weight management, and about 13% of cat parents have done so. The panel discusses pet owners may not always take into account all the calories they’re feeding their pet. Dr. Hobbs mentions while there are some opportunities for pet food companies to take advantage of, a lot of what is needed is consumer education on how to manage your pet properly for their age, stage of life, and activity level. The panel goes on to talk more about how veterinarians play a critical role in this educational effort. (13:40)
Dr. Gross would love to see more choices for pet parents so they don’t have to be an expert in nutrition. She sees a need for pet food manufacturers to design products for pets to help them avoid gaining excess weight. She notes AAFCO only has recommendations for growing animals and adults; there are no nutritional guidelines for pet food companies to follow to create foods with controlled calories, low fat, added fiber, etc. Dr. Hobbs suggests that pre-portioned foods may be another opportunity for pet food manufacturers, as well as foods specialized for spayed and neutered pets. (25:47)
The panel discusses the impact of obesity on the lifespan of pets, if obesity increases with age in pets, how hormone profiles impact weight gain in pets, and if breed type plays a role in the development of obesity in pets. The guests go on to talk about how artificial intelligence and technology could be used to help pet parents manage their pets’ weight and make more informed decisions. (29:48)
Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (49:04)
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