diet for obese dog

Dog Obesity: Why Its Important To Manage Your Dogs Weight

Plump puppies may be cute, but when it comes to canine health, lean is better.

Still, as is true with humans, too many dogs are overweight, according to the Association For Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). In its eighth annual survey of the girth of American pets, released in March 2015, the organization found that 53 percent of the nations dogs are overweight.

International research suggests that this is a global problem, with surveys from various parts of the world showing that the incidence of canine obesity around 40 percent or more.Most investigators say that this health issue gets worse each year. Another part of the APOP survey showed that in 2014, 17.6 percent of dogs were clinically obese (30 percent or more overweight). That was up a full point from just one year before.

Courtesy of APOP

Even worse, 95 percent of owners dont realize that their plump dogs need to drop a few pounds. The APOP calls this a fat pet gap, in which a chubby dog is identified as normal.

Dr. Ernie Ward, veterinarian and founder of APOP says, Pet owners think their obese dog or cat is a normal weight, making confronting obesity difficult. No one wants to think their pet is overweight, and overcoming denial is our first battle.

Health Problems Caused By Dog Obesity

There are many diseases and conditions that come along with extra pounds. These include:

How to Tell If Your Dog Is Obese

The rules range for people, but for pets, figuring out whether your dog is overweight or obese is a matter of both appearance and touch. You should, for example, be able to feel your dogs ribs when you press her sides. Several dog-food manufacturers have canine body-condition charts that can help you determine if your dog needs to drop a few pounds. Heres an example:

What to Do If Your Dog Needs a Diet?

As with humans, there are a few tried-and-true methods for slimming down. First, you should check with your vet to make sure that the excess weight is not the result of an underlying health problem or disease. Also, before you changefood or reduce calories, youll want to get your dog a checkup and talk to your vet about the best options. After taking these steps, check out these helpful tips:

Measure Meals:Keeping a diary is one of the most important steps in any human weight-loss program. Since dogs cant write, youll have to do it for him. Keep track of how much kibble you are feeding by using a measuring cup.

Establish a Schedule:If you free-feed, leaving food down all day, offer meals on a set schedule. Put the food down for a certain time, perhaps 15 minutes, and take up any food that the dog does not eat.

Limit Between-Meal Snacks:Dogs get a lot of calories in addition to their regular kibble. These can include anything from training treats to a biscuit slipped over the fence by a friendly neighbor. Those calories add up. Find out where the extras are coming from and manage how many extra goodies the dog is getting.

Choose Low-Calorie Treats:Many store-bought treats, especially biscuits, can be fattening. The same goes for chews. Some dogs will be just as happy with fruits or vegetables, like bananas, carrots, green beans, and apple slices, for example.

Certain chews, such as the popular bully sticks, are higher in calories than most people believe. A recent study from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University examined the nutrients found in 26 different kinds of bully sticks. Each inch contained between 9 and 26 calories. While calorie information isnt currently required on pet treats or most pet foods, these findings reinforce that veterinarians and pet owners need to be aware of pet treats like these bully sticks as a source of calories in a dogs diet, Lisa M. Freeman, DVM, Ph.D., DACVN, professor of nutrition at TCSVM, said in a news release describing the study results. Several companies have developed low-calorie commercial treats. When you try any new treat, offer just a small portion to make sure it agrees with your dogs digestion.

Get Moving! This may be the best thing you can do to help your heavy hound. Before starting any exercise regime, have your dog checked by your veterinarian to make sure it is an appropriate and reasonable activity. Start slow and work up as directed by your vet to prevent possible injury.There are so many activities you and your dog can do together that its impossible to mention them all. Here are some of the best to start a weight-reducing program:

• Swimming is low-impact and can build muscles and burn calories without hurting joints.
• Walking, also low-impact, has the added benefit of getting both of you out of the house and into the fresh air.
• Fetch is fun, and its quick sprints will do a lot to raise fitness levels.

Help! My Dog Is Obese!

You might think your dog gaining a little extra weight is no big deal, but if your dog puts on too much weight, he could become obese which is actually a major problem.

Obese dogs can develop a ton of health issues, like diabetes and joint problems. Plus, they wont have the energy to go on walks or play with you.

The Dodo spoke to Dr. Katie Pagan, a partner veterinarian of Heart + Paw Fells Point, to find out how to tell if your dogs obese and what to do about it.

Is my dog obese?

If your dogs obese, hell be extremely overweight. And that doesnt mean he just has a little extra weight to lose. Obese dogs have gained so much weight that theyre often already showing symptoms of other health problems.

An overweight dog may only have a few pounds to lose, but an obese dog will have much more to lose, Dr. Pagan told The Dodo. Obese dogs are usually starting to show some joint disease already due to extra weight and may be hesitant to go out for walks. We can also start to see other health conditions emerge when a dog is obese.

Other signs that your dogs obese include difficulty walking or getting up, difficulty breathing or getting winded, and having trouble getting up stairs or into the car.

Dogs who are overweight are around 10 to 20 percent above their ideal weight, while obese dogs are more than 30 percent overweight.

What is a body condition score for dogs?

To be sure how healthy or overweight your dog is, compare him to a dog body condition score. A body condition score is what vets use to determine if a dogs overweight or underweight.

Many veterinary clinics have these [body condition score] posters hung up in the hospital to show clients, Dr. Pagan said. I always tell my clients that you still should be able to feel your dog's ribs and spine when petting them. If you cannot feel anything, they are too chunky. If you can visually see ribs/spine, they are too thin.

You can start by feeling your dogs ribcage for his ribs. Then look down at your dog while standing above him. He should have a narrowed waist and shouldnt look like a stuffed sausage (even if you think its cute). When looking at your dog from the side, his belly shouldnt hang down and should be tucked underneath him.

Causes of obesity in dogs

The most common reason for weight gain in dogs is when they eat more calories than they burn, which means theyre overeating or not exercising enough or both.

Thats why its important to feed your dog the right amount and type of food for his age and size and why he needs lots of walks and playtime.

There are certain medical conditions that can cause your pup to gain weight, too. These include:

If your dog has been eating a normal amount and gets plenty of exercise, there could be an underlying condition causing him to gain weight, so you should talk to your vet.

Some other factors that can lead to weight gain include age, breed and neuter or spay status. Older dogs are more likely to become overweight, and certain breeds are predisposed to obesity. After a dog is neutered or spayed, the decrease in hormones can cause weight gain if you dont adjust the dogs diet and exercise.

Obese dog health problems

Obesity is a serious problem for dogs because it can lead to a variety of health issues.

Osteoarthritis is a health problem many obese dogs will present with, Dr. Pagan said. Other conditions like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, bladder stones and an increase in anesthetic complications can also affect obese dogs.

Because of their greater susceptibility to health problems, obese dogs often have a shorter life expectancy than dogs who arent overweight, which is why you should talk to your vet to plan out a weight loss program to get your pup back to a healthy weight.

Obesity in dogs treatment

To help your dog lose weight, youll first need to figure out why your dogs gaining weight. Any underlying medical problems will need to be treated first, otherwise hell keep gaining weight no matter how much exercise he gets.

Aside from treating medical conditions, the best ways to help your dog lose weight are with a healthy diet and exercise.

Your veterinarian will usually recommend a prescription weight loss diet and increasing exercise to help your dog lose weight, Dr. Pagan said.

Try diet dog food

You can try feeding your pup weight loss dog food, but be sure to talk to your vet before trying one out to make sure its good for your pup. Diet dog foods generally have fewer calories and carbs while adding more fiber and protein. This isnt ideal for healthy pups but can really help dogs who have weight issues.

A prescription weight loss diet is the way to go if your dog is overweight/obese, Dr. Pagan said. Royal Canin, Purina or Hills all have great weight loss diets that your veterinarian can easily prescribe.

Try this Hills Prescription Diet weight management dog food from Chewy for $41.99

Be sure to measure the amount of food youre feeding your dog so you dont overfeed him, too.

Watch the treats

Giving your pup too many treats can make him gain weight. Since you dont really think about the calories that treats add on, they often get overlooked. As a rule of thumb, most vets recommend that treats make up only around 10 percent of a dogs caloric intake.

Try to find ways to reward your pup other than just treats, like extra play time, pets or a super long walk (plus, thatll give him some additional exercise).

Try these Purina Pro Plan Lite Snackers treats for dogs on weight loss or management programs from Chewy for $10.49

Exercise more

Making sure your dog gets enough exercise is just as important as watching what he eats. If your pup just lies around all day, he wont burn any calories and will still likely gain weight, even if youre feeding him diet dog food.

Most dogs need around 30 minutes to an hour of exercise every day, which can include walks, playing with toys or running around the dog park. If youre trying to help your dog lose weight, you may need to add in an extra walk each day.

Prevention of obesity in dogs

To prevent your dog from becoming obese in the first place, dont overfeed him, make sure he gets physical activity every day, and take him for regular vet checkups to catch any illnesses that could lead to weight gain.

Ensuring your dog gets enough exercise is an important factor in decreasing chances of becoming overweight/obese, Dr. Pagan said. It is also very important to monitor their daily food intake and limit the amounts of treats per day they consume.

And keep an eye on your dogs weight. If you notice hes starting to look a little rounder than he used to, get him checked out to make sure hes still at a healthy weight.

If you think your dogs obese, the best thing to do is take him to the vet to get him started on a weight loss program so you can get him back to his healthy self. And watch this obese dogs transformation for some inspiration.

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