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Overweight Dogs/Puppy
Are you aware that obesity in dogs is one of the greatest nutritional medical disorders, with approximately 24-40% of dogs being classified as overweight? Reasons for this include a sedentary lifestyle, availability of energy dense foods and treats, and overfeeding by their owners.
Other factors which tend to increase their weight include age, breed, sex, hormonal abnormalities, as well as external factors such as lifestyle, diet formulation and intake.
Health problems likely to arise as a result of obesity include the following:
- Joint or locomotion difficulties:- Their joints, ligaments, tendons, and bones suffer from excess wear and tear, so they land up with arthritis, joint injuries, leg problems, and back ailments.
- For females, greater probability of complications during whelping.
- Heart and Respiratory Disease:- Extra weight in the body leads to cardiac disease, respiratory problems and high blood pressure.
- Diabetes:- Just like people, diabetes is common in obese dogs..
- Slower healing process.
- Liver Disease:- Obese animals are prone to liver disease including canine hepatic lipidosis.
- Heat Intolerance:- Insulating properties of excessive fat make obese dogs uncomfortable and unable to tolerate heat.
- Skin Problems:- Fat dogs/puppies have trouble grooming themselves. The folds of skin built up by fat deposits becomes a haven for dirt, bacteria and other harmful organisms.
- Gastrointestinal Disorder:- Pancreatitis is seen in obese dogs. This condition is painful and life threatening
Why and how dogs become overweight?
Dogs mostly become overweight from lack of good exercise and from eating more food (mostly energy dense foods) than they require or are able to burn up. Overeating can be a result of greediness, boredom, or overfeeding. Feeding leftovers or giving frequent treats contributes to excess weight problems. Occasionally, metabolic disorders can cause a dog to become overweight.
Over-fed puppies tend to become overweight dogs:-
Overfeeding may also accelerate their growth rate, which in certain breeds may increase the risk of certain skeletal diseases and orthopaedic abnormalities. Properly fed puppies are less likely to suffer from weight problems later in life.
Is your dog overweight?
Feel the ribs of your dog with the flat palm of your hand. If you have difficulty feeling his ribs, then your dog probably needs to lose weight.
How to deal with the problem of over-weight in dogs:-
Weight reduction is achieved by lowering of calories consumed, and increased exercise. Other medical conditions which have arisen as a result of your dog being overweight will have to be treated as well.
Weight reduction programme for your dog:
- Your vet will help set a weight goal for your dog and will recommend how much food he should eat each day. A special diet may also be prescribed. The food choice should be designed to provide him all the nutrients he needs while at the same time helping him lose weight. To help keep your dog from begging, feed him before your family eats, and keep him out of the room during your meal.
- Always provide plenty of clean, fresh drinking water.
- Regular exercise, such as walks or runs, is good because it increases the number of calories being burnt. The time period your dog will require to lose weight depends upon how much weight he is required to lose.
If you are overweight, there is a very high probability that your dog will also be overweight!!!!