The weighty matter of our overfed dogs

[TheMoog]

Mapping out, the weighty matter of our overfed dogs | the Daily Mail

Mapping out, the weighty matter of our overfed dogs


Heavy going: Obesity shortens a dog's life


Around a quarter of dogs are clinically obese, a pet charity has warned.
And, according to a canine 'fat map' of Britain, a great many of the overweight animals are to be found in the North-East.
The region has the highest proportion of obese dogs - 28 per cent, or nearly a third.
Experts said overweight dogs are likely to die two years earlier than lean ones and have a much poorer quality of life.
Many owners have no idea what a healthy shape for their dogs should be and often give them sweet and fatty treats such as chocolate or crisps.
The fat map was compiled by the charity PDSA which analysed the weight of 4,000 dogs between March and October last year.
After the North-East, Scotland and Northern Ireland had the highest proportion of obese dogs (both 26 per cent), with London (25 per cent) coming in at third place.
The lowest ratio of fat dogs was found in the South-East, excluding London, at 12 per cent.
PDSA has been collecting data through mobile pet clinics over the last three years, but this is the first time it has had enough information to provide a nationwide picture.
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Spokesman Elaine Pendlebury, a senior vet with 29 years of experience in tackling animal obesity, said: "Our figures show there is a real need for owners to help their overweight pets lose those excess pounds.
"Too much weight on a dog can accelerate arthritis, lead to diabetes and ruin the quality of its life."
She said owners of obese dogs should be encouraged to take their dogs out for more walks and, in extreme cases, radically alter their diets.
"The reasons why people overfeed their dogs are quite complicated," she added. "Often they cannot resist those pleading eyes and it takes a lot of determination from the owners to resist.
"Also, many people do not realise the harm they can do by feeding their dog a little bit of sausage, doughnuts, crisps or chocolate.
"Giving a dog snacks is one of the quickest ways to make them obese. Depending on the size of the dog, even small snacks can make a dog put on weight very quickly."
The PDSA also estimates that in the last 20 years the number of obese cats has doubled.
There has even been a rise in the number of overweight rabbits and hamsters. In recent years animal charities have taken to prosecuting owners for overfeeding their pets.

[McJag]

This is so bad! My dogs stay trim-treats are rare. This really cuts down on the number of years and the quality of life. I know the owners love their pets-but play with them! Don't just feed them!

[yanna]

Chocolate could kill a dog! What kind of an idiot would give a dog chocolate?

My kitty is neutered and I was afraid she'd put on weight but she's stayed a pretty good size. I didn't have to do something about it, she just knows when to stop, I guess. I'm sad when I see cats that are so fat they can't even reach to clean their butt.

[Beeyotch]

I'm lucky my dog is one of those absolutely self-regulating dogs. We keep his bowl constantly full and he only eats when hungry, once, maybe twice a day. He doesn't even seem interested in most treats. He'll stare you down if he smells beef or chicken, and he loooves cheese, but those are rare treats for him.