Pet Obesity Takes Its Toll
The single best predictor of a pet’s health over the course of their lifetime relates to weight. As the incidence of obesity rises in people, a disturbing parallel is being seen in our pets. There’s one major difference, though. There are all kinds of reasons why people might be overweight, but we control the entire nutritional intake of our pets. In other words, you can never say it’s a dog’s fault he’s overweight. One hundred percent of the time, as his owner, the responsibility is yours. Sorry, but if your pet is fat, it’s your fault.
The New York Times details how the effects not only shorten the lives of animals, but take an economic toll on owners:
“Seeing animals suffering from health conditions secondary to their obesity is a common situation,” said Dr. Louise Murray, vice president of the Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, run by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in New York.
Just as diabetes and heart disease are more common in people who are obese, these diseases also are more common in overweight animals. The average cost of veterinary care for a diabetic dog or cat in 2011 was more than $900, according to Petplan USA, a pet insurance company. Treatment for arthritis and cruciate ligament tears, which can be caused by the strain of an overweight frame that weakens joints, especially in dogs, cost pet owners an average of $2,000.
Here’s the most important point to understand: obesity isn’t just about your pet’s weight. It’s more about how much fat tissue they’re carrying. Run your hands over your dog’s ribcage. Can you feel their ribs, or are you feeling a layer of fat covering them? That layer shouldn’t be there. Look at them from directly above their back. Can you see a “waist”? You should. If you don’t, that’s an overweight pet.
Dawg Business has a terrific chart. Check it out and then take a look. Perhaps it’s time for more exercise, and cut way back on the treats.
Photo Credit: Matthew Beck/Citrus County Chronicle, via Associated Press
Tags: cat, dog, healthcare, petcare, petobesity
Lots of pet owners give treats as a way of showing affection and feel guilty or have unrelated feelings about cutting back on treats.
This is a short article, but I just want to add:
If you have trouble cutting back on treats, pick healthy treats and cut back on the kibble instead. Or hand feed some kibble as a treat. Or occasionally substitute scratches instead of cookies.
I feed my little pug PurLuv Little Trix since she””s currently on a diet. I get them at Petco. Three pounds lost and only one more to go!
I HAVE 2 BASSETTS HOW MUCH SHOULD THEY WEIGH. AND HOW MANY CALORIES SHOULD THEY HAVE. I USE TO HAVE A SHELTIE AND HE WAS SO OVER WEIGHT THE VET WOULD YELL AT US ALL THE TIME. WE BOUGHT HIM PERSCRIPTION DOG FOOD AND TOOK HIM REG TO THE VET. HE DIED AT AGE SEVEN . I HAVE TAKEN HIM TO MICH STATE UNIV VET SCHOOL BUT IT WAS TOO LATE . HERE HE HAD A PROBLEM WITH HIS THYROID. THE OTHER VET NEVER TESTED THIS. I NEVER KNEW THEY COULD GET THE SAME THINGS AS PEOPLE. I WISH I COULD HAVE SUED THE OTHER VET. ITS SO OBVIOUS. WE KEPT TELLING HIM WE ARE WATCHING HIS DIET AND WE GAVE HIM GREEN BEENS AND CARROTTS. FOR TREATS. I SURE WISH THERE WERE MORE ANIMALS LAWYERS. I HAVE HAD PET INSURANCE ON MY PETS FOR 20 YRS AND TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF MY PETS. THIS PET DIED NEEDLESSLY . RIP WHILEY
I think it depends on the breed too. We pretty much have to trick our Shih-tzu into eating. Our lab eats everything, I mean everything (including what Shay doesn”t). Chief (the lab) was about 90lbs and he”s now down to 72, which is what the vet recommended for his build. We did portion control. And we use smaller treats, like Barkery Chewy Bites. Yum yum!
I second Amanda”s suggestion on the Little Trix. My two (STUBBORN) Daschunds will only come in if bribed (I know, I know, poor training…but don”t judge me unless you have Daschunds! haha) I do feed treats, but these are so tiny, they are easy to use multiple times a day. And while Kirby and Zelda would prefer a 16-ounce ribeye to a miniscule treat, they do love them and do come in for them! I also like to feed them ”table scraps” after cooking dinner – but ONLY the scraps of raw veggies like tomato tops and the ends of cucumbers. They love those, and that”s good for them! (PS. That poor Pug in the photo – he looks so miserable!)
Years ago our vet told us to cut back the amount of dogfood and give green beans as a low calorie filler. I buy canned green beans on sale and can usually get the ”no salt added” ones so I don”t have to rinse them. Bo & her sister come running every time they hear the can opener expecting it to be dinner time and they”ll be getting beans. They love them! Really helps to maintain their weight. They are slightly large for their breed, but are 50 and 55 lbs. They get one cup of food for breakfast and 1/2 cup of food with 1/2 can of green beans (each) for dinner. Ask your vet to advise you on how much you should feed your own dogs. Good luck on raising a healthy and happy pet!
I have an Italian Greyhound the LOVES carrots! Best treat ever! (My horses NOSE it too).
Those of you with pets on both sides of the scale – you might try investing in an interactive feeder that slows down your tubby pup and inhibits the play drive in you thin dog. I””ve resuced some pups and using a toy/feed has helped them find their balance on the weight scale. Now I just need to get one for ME!
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A couple good questions to be addressed: how much should your dog weigh and how many calories should they have? That”s trickier to answer in a quick comment, since it varies by breed, age, and activity level. For certain breeds, like most retrievers, basset hounds, dachshunds and others, you have to be particularly careful, as they are prone to issues with their hips and backs. More weight is quite literally deadly for dachshunds, for instance. The short answer should always be consult with your veterinarian, and make sure you”re clear with them that you want to be vigilant about weight control. The other question relates to calorie count. I”d suggest thinking about it differently. Not how many calories, but what kind? Some commercial foods are loaded with fillers that aren”t very nutritious, and even if they”re low calorie, those could be empty calories. Look for higher protein and higher fiber foods. Look for foods where the first few ingredients are chicken, beef, salmon, or another food that you can identify. By-products” or (even worse) grains: bad. And a few commenters have hit the nail on the head: low or zero calorie treats are huge. We give Cami and Harry baby carrots, pea pods, string beans or small apple slices as treats. Yummy and GOOD FOR THEM!!! Store-bought treats, especially the big ones, are very much like giving your kids a steady diet of oreos, a bag at a time. Tasty? Absolutely. Part of a good diet? Not so much. Smaller dogs, smaller treats. No matter the size? More exercise is better than less. Burns off dinner faster!
My dog isn”t obese, but she is starting to look fat to me.when I adopted her from the shelter in Aug last year she weighed about 60 . I think she must be around 70 now. She is a collie /shepherd. I don”t really know what she should weigh. She eats anything & everything including treats not a whole lot though. But she wants everything I eat
I feel bad & may save her a tiny piece. I think she really didn”t her enough food at the shelter. She is the hungriest dog I”ve ever known! Help,? Any suggestions?
Mary – Thanks for the question. First off, congrats on adopting a shelter pooch! As for the “wanting everything I eat,” she is evidently very food driven. Dogs don”t really have an off switch. They”ll continue to look hungry and want any food you give them. You may be right that she might not have been fed sufficiently at the shelter, so the memory of always being hungry doesn”t entirely go away. That said, you”re still in charge of controlling her diet. Lots and lots of what we eat (and the amounts we eat) aren”t at all appropriate for dogs. Sweets or bread, for instance. If you slip her food from the table, you”re training her to expect that — not a great habit to instill. Try just giving her one or two (and I really mean one or two) small veggies, like a baby carrot or string bean, after her meal. It”s a healthy and tasty dessert, and she”ll associate it as part of the meal. Then, cut out the between meals treats…and really, don”t feed from the table. Good luck!
When we adopted our beagle corgi mix she was 2 years old and massively overweight. She couldnt even roll over, or run around the yard more than twice without panting (and we adopted her in the winter). Our Vet worked with us right away and got her on a good prescription diet. She is now 24 pounds, and was 41 pds when we adopted her. She lost almost a half of herself! It can be done.