Is your pet too fat to insure?
One pet in three is now obese, which could leave owners facing expensive bills as pet insurance often does not cover overweight animals.
Figures from Sainsbury's Bank show 34 per cent of the UK's cat and dog population is now obese - meaning some 2.72 million dogs and 2.87 million cats are affected.
"Many pet owners may like to treat their animals with food and snacks intended for human consumption, but they must be aware of the detrimental effect this can have on their pet's health," said Claire Moyles, Sainsbury's pet insurance manager.
"Treats such as chocolate can not only lead to obesity but when ingested in large amounts can even have serious effects on an animal's pancreas and heart."
And there is a triple blow for owners of chubby puppies and fat cats - not only do they pay more for food for their four-legged friends, their pets are also more likely to need to visit the vet, and in many cases their condition means that owners cannot take out pet insurance to cover this cost.
"Overfed, obese animals often suffer from diabetes, osteoarthritis and other conditions that require a long-term course of veterinary treatment and their life expectancy can also be reduced dramatically," Ms Moyles said.
"Owners concerned about their pets' weight should consider feeding their animals from the growing range of nutritionally balanced, low-calorie, organic or additive and preservative free pet foods."
The Pet Food Manufacturers Association offers the following signs to whether your animal is overweight:
Thin - ribs easily felt, backbones and hip bones visible.
Underweight - ribs easily felt, waist very obvious.
Ideal - ribs can just be felt, no excess fat covering, tummy tucked up when viewed from side, waist narrows after ribs.
Overweight - ribs can be felt but with a bit of excess fat, waist can be seen but not easily, tummy tucked up, but just.
Obese - ribs not easily felt, waist almost invisible, tummy may be sagging.
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