This is Thin Privilege

Asked by
a-non-sequitur

phoenixgau:

thisisthinprivilege:

Check the FAQ.

Honestly the same arguments the FAQ gives with relation to human fatness apply to pet obesity. And even if obesity did always = unhealthy, that wouldn’t disprove the existence of thin privilege or the need for fat acceptance. Fat acceptance is about the right to be treated with human dignity. Why should “health” be a requirement for that?

But let’s assume you actually wanted to talk about pet health as it relates to obesity.

Pets are subject to human choices for their diets, and yes, diet affects health. But just like with humans, animals have varied genetics and metabolisms. A diet related health problem can present in an animal at any weight. An animal with lots of adipose tissue can be completely healthy. In other words, if an animal has a health problem, weight can be a concurrent effect of what’s causing it, but it’s not the cause in and of itself.

I have been present for procedures where adipose tissue meant extra time or a different technique had to be used, but the same happens with pets that don’t want to be handled, that metabolize their anesthetic drugs super quickly or that simply have really tiny and finicky veins. A good vet will give quality care regardless of the size of the patient.

Now, if you go into a veterinary hospital or clinic you’ll likely see plenty of posters and pamphlets warning about the dangers of pet obesity. The pet health industry is subject to the same capitalist pressures as the human health industry. Companies like Purina (owned by Nestle) are involved in every phase of an animal health care provider’s career. They provide educational modules and supplies to veterinary doctor and veterinary technician degree programs. It was a requirement at my school to complete case studies and other educational units on Purina’s website, for which we were rewarded with Purina branded products. It was very obvious the emphasis on patient weight management in the learning materials was to build up an eagerness to recommend Purina foods as part of a patient’s treatment plan. (A teacher of mine sarcastically called the Purina products used in the fictional stories in the case studies miraculous for how well they fixed bleak prognoses.) Hospitals have the same pharmaceutical and medical equipment reps come through giving trinkets and samples to build brand loyalty that human hospitals do. The big prescription food companies, Purina, Hill’s Science Diet and Royal Canin all sell weight loss and weight management formulas that they push through the hospitals. It’s worth mentioning that the recommended serving size on non-prescription pet foods is actually higher than the calculated metabolic requirements, so that customers will buy more food. 

The emphasis on pet obesity in vet care isn’t because obesity is such a greater health risk than the other factors (genetic problems and behavior problems are actually much worse), it’s because it’s profitable and fits into the current cultural mindset that places so much importance on weight.