{"id":2857,"date":"2019-03-07T10:00:01","date_gmt":"2019-03-07T16:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/?p=2857"},"modified":"2024-01-17T17:05:33","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T23:05:33","slug":"overweight-dog-problem-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/health\/overweight-dog-problem-study\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lifestyle of Overweight Dogs: A Sobering Study"},"content":{"rendered":"\"An\n

People aren\u2019t the only ones who need to worry about a mid-life spare tire. Obesity\u205fin\u205fdogs\u205fis\u205fa\u205fmajor\u205fproblem, too. But it\u2019s not just a matter of letting the collar out a few notches or buying a roomier dog bed \u2014 a recent study of chubby middle-aged dogs shows that curbing obesity in dogs could actually add years to their lives.<\/p>\n

Less Overweight Dogs = More Years<\/h2>\n

Researchers examined the medical records of more than 50,700 middle-aged, spayed or neutered dogs<\/a>, comparing the life spans of overweight pups against their normal-weight counterparts. Published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine,<\/em> the study found that dogs with ideal body weights lived up to 2.5 years longer.<\/p>\n

The scientists compared 12 purebred breeds \u2014 representing five general sizes \u2014 including chihuahuas, Pomeranians, shih tzus, dachshunds, Yorkshire terriers, cocker spaniels, beagles, boxers, German shepherds, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers and pit bull terriers. All overweight dogs, on average, lived shorter life spans than normal-weight dogs, ranging from 2.5 years shorter for Yorkshire terriers to just a few months less for German shepherds.<\/p>\n

Overweight Dogs Are A Common Problem<\/h3>\n

In the United States, approximately 56 percent of dogs and 60 percent of cats are overweight or obese, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. A dog or cat is considered overweight if it\u2019s 10 to 19 percent heavier than its ideal body weight. When that figure creeps up to 20 percent or more, the pet falls into the obese category.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not sure what your pet should weigh, ask your veterinarian. These BMI charts for dogs<\/a>\u00a0can also help you determine if your pet is perhaps a little too roly-poly.<\/p>\n

Extra Pounds, Extra Health Risks for Overweight Dogs<\/h3>\n

Obesity is considered a chronic inflammatory condition, contributing to changes in insulin resistance, metabolism and appetite control. Those few extra pounds can put your dog at risk of a range of diseases and conditions including cruciate ligament tears, arthritis, diabetes and even certain types of cancer.<\/p>\n

Added weight can also contribute to respiratory, heart and kidney problems. Is it any wonder overweight pets may not live as long as leaner dogs and cats? Or that the international veterinary and human medical communities have recommended that obesity be classified as a disease?<\/a><\/p>\n

Getting an Overweight Dog Back on Track<\/h3>\n

Helping your pet return to an ideal weight is one of the most loving things you can do to improve his or her health. As with people, it\u2019s a matter of fewer calories in and more calories burned. Here are some simple steps you can take:<\/p>\n

1. Talk to your veterinarian to determine what your pet really should weigh. <\/strong>
\n2. The doctor may recommend a specific diet and the daily amount your pet should be fed.<\/strong> Most weight-loss diets typically provide more protein and fiber and less calories and fats than maintenance diets. Feeding a high-fiber diet can also help your pet feel fuller and less inclined to beg.
\n3. Avoid the bottomless bowl syndrome.<\/strong> Instead of keeping your pet\u2019s dish full all day, start using a measuring cup to make sure your dog or cat only gets what it needs.
\n4. Account for snacks<\/strong>. Every rawhide, table scrap and spoonful of peanut butter contains calories. If you can\u2019t resist food treats, opt for healthier, lower calorie snacks such as sliced bananas, green beans or carrots. Make sure everyone in your family is on board with the treat-reduction program.
\n5. Increase the physical activity<\/strong>. Leash walks, swimming, a game of fetch or even regular play dates at the dog park are fun ways to help your dog work out. If your pet is extremely overweight, talk to your veterinarian about how to gradually increase exercise so your pet doesn\u2019t overdo it at first.
\n6. Weigh your pet regularly<\/strong>. A healthy goal for your pet is a 1\u20132\u00a0percent reduction in body weight per week.
\n7. Avoid the yo-yo syndrome.<\/strong> Once your dog loses weight, returning to its couch-surfing days will make it easier for the pounds to creep back. The positive changes you\u2019ve made in terms of food control and exercise need to be a permanent part of your pet\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

Granted, weight loss can be a long, slow process. But when you think about it, every small weight loss \u2014 even if it\u2019s just a half pound \u2014 could mean better health and more time with your dog. And what could be more motivating than that?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

People aren\u2019t the only ones who need to worry about a mid-life spare tire. Obesity\u205fin\u205fdogs\u205fis\u205fa\u205fmajor\u205fproblem, too. But it\u2019s not just a matter of letting the collar out a few notches or buying a roomier dog bed \u2014 a recent study of chubby middle-aged dogs shows that curbing obesity in dogs could actually add years to … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2858,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"7 Steps to Get Your Overweight Dog Back on Track","_seopress_titles_desc":"Uncover the crucial link between weight management and life span in dogs. Learn more about how ideal weight can extend your dog's life by up to 2.5 years!","_seopress_robots_index":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[59,167,68,279,58],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2857"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2857"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2857\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19741,"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2857\/revisions\/19741"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}