Better language helps us communicate the problem. Better data helps us define it.

This month, I want to focus on something we use in every exam room but don’t always think enough about: language.

Words like “chonky,” “fluffy,” or “big-boned” may feel harmless. They may even feel kinder. But in a medical setting, they can soften a serious health risk and delay the care a pet needs.

That doesn’t mean we need harsher language. It means we need clearer language.

Clinical obesity is not about how a pet looks. It is about how excess adiposity affects health, mobility, metabolism, pain, breathing, and quality of life. When we describe obesity as a medical condition that can be diagnosed, monitored, and treated, we give pet owners something more useful than judgment. We give them a plan.

That same clarity is why APOP continues to build national prevalence data. Every body weight and Body Condition Score recorded in practice has value. When those observations are collected consistently, they help us better understand the true scope of companion animal obesity.

I hope your clinic, institution, or organization will join the 2026 Pet Obesity Prevalence Study.

— Dr. Ernie Ward, Founder of APOP

Words Matter When Diagnosing Clinical Obesity in Pets

In a recent article, Dr. Ernie Ward explains how the language veterinary teams use around pet obesity can either clarify risk or unintentionally delay care.

Terms such as “chonky,” “fluffy,” “tubby,” or “big-boned” may feel kind or humorous, but in a clinical setting they can make excess adiposity sound harmless. Owners may hear reassurance when the medical message should be: this is a treatable condition affecting health.

Opinion data showed the gap. 2026 clinical data can help define it.

Last year’s APOP opinion survey found that many pet owners who actively tried to help their dog or cat reach a healthy body condition still struggled to achieve and maintain success.

These findings help explain why the 2026 Prevalence Study matters. Opinion data shows where owners struggle. Clinical prevalence data helps define what veterinary teams are seeing in practice.

Source: APOP 2025 Pet Obesity and Nutrition Opinion Survey

2025 opinion data showed the gap. 2026 clinical data can help define it.

Last year’s APOP opinion survey found that many pet owners who actively tried to help their dog or cat reach a healthy body condition still struggled to achieve and maintain success.

These findings help explain why the 2026 Prevalence Study matters. Opinion data shows where owners struggle. Clinical prevalence data helps define what veterinary teams are seeing in practice.

Source: APOP 2025 Pet Obesity and Nutrition Opinion Survey

Updated APOP Step Weight Loss Calculator

APOP has updated its Step Weight Loss Calculator to help veterinary teams create practical, step-based weight-loss plans for adult dogs and cats. The tool is designed to support safer calorie planning, follow-up adjustments, and clearer client communication.

The calculator can be used alongside body weight, Body Condition Score, clinical assessment, and recheck visits to help guide individualized obesity treatment plans.

Help turn routine weight and BCS data into national evidence

APOP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing companion animal weight health. The 2026 Pet Obesity Prevalence Study depends on veterinary clinics, academic institutions, and partners willing to contribute the clinical data that makes national benchmarking possible.

Participation is built around data veterinary teams already collect: body weight and 1–9 Body Condition Score. Reporting that information during Pet Obesity Awareness Month, beginning in October 2026, helps turn everyday clinical observations into evidence that can guide research, education, and better patient care.

Not ready to participate yet? Join the APOP mailing list for research, tools, and study updates.

Stay current on APOP research, tools, study updates, and clinical obesity resources.

Thank You to Our Sponsors for Helping Advance the Conversation

We appreciate our sponsors for their commitment to advancing pet health and supporting APOP’s mission to promote awareness, prevent obesity, encourage healthy body condition, and improve treatment for pets living with obesity.