WHEN CHUBBY ISN’T CUTE

Canine Obesity is On the Rise in the US – a Trend That Will Lead to Serious Repercussions.

By David Litwak

America seems to be gripped  on Rodeo Drive, by a fat epidemic. Every news outlet, talk show or medical discussion is centered around how overweight the citizens of this country are or how childhood obesity is on the rise. These are serious problems for our society but the problems don’t just affect us humans, our companion animals are also adding more than a little girth these days.

If the adage that dogs and their owners begin to look alike after a while is true, then our dogs and cats have inherited our battle of the bugle. According to the recently released third annual National Pet Obesity Awareness Study conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, our pets continue to gain weight and this trend affects their health. Looking at just dogs, the study estimates that 45 percent of the nation’s dogs are overweight, of which 8.6 percent are obese. This translates to 34.5 million overweight dogs and 6.7 million that are obese. That’s a lot of unfit fidos.

“Pet obesity is now the biggest health threat to pets in the US,” says Dr. Ernie Ward, lead researcher on the study. “The costs of obesity in illness and injury make it the number one medical issue seen in today’s veterinary hospitals.”

A dog does not have to be obese to have its weight impact its health. Dogs that are overweight also run a risk of serious disease. Too much weight and body fat can be a major contributing factor to many canine maladies including: diabetes, damage to joint bones and ligaments, heart disease and high blood pressure, difficulty breathing, decreased stamina, heat imbalance, decreased liver functions, increased surgical and anesthetic risk, reproductive problems, digestive disorders, decreased immune system function, skin and coat problems, increased risk of cancer, and for large dogs an increase in serious hip problems.

How can you tell if your dog is overweight or obese? Start by looking at the dog – that cute little roll of fat may not be so cute after all. In order to tell strictly by sight you have to know a great deal about the breed and its standards. Generally, experts recommend the touch test. Feel your dog around its mid-section, overweight dogs have increased amounts of fat over their ribs and the area between their ribcage and rear (the tuck-up). As the dog gets more overweight the tuck-up tends to disappear and there is heavier fat around the belly and ribs. There is a good guide chart, as well as ideal weight by breed and daily calorie information available on the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention’s web site (www.petobesityprevention.com).

The best way to tell if your dog is overweight is to consult its veterinarian. Since all breeds show overweight differently and especially if your dog is a mixed breed, the vet can tell what its ideal weight should be and help organize a feeding and exercise plan. Breeds do differ in their tendency to gain weight, for instance, labs and golden retrievers are notorious weight gainers – there are some large breeds as well as small breeds (beagles, dachshunds) that have a propensity to gain weight.

Taking off the pounds

When it comes to weight loss dogs are no luckier than we are. No matter what you do it is just not easy to lose those extra pounds. No matter what the species it comes down to using up more calories than you take in. Diet and exercise are the only way for a dog to control its weight. Although, dogs are luckier than we are in one respect – they don’t have to make many decisions about their diet, the responsibility rests with their owners. A dog can only eat what it is fed or what it can scavenge – don’t over feed it or leave food where it can get to it and the dog will not overeat. So, if your dog is overweight you have earned the right to feel guilty.

 Regulating food intake is the first way to take control of a dog’s weight. Generally, less food is better but this can be achieved in a several different ways. Cutting treats is usually preferable to cutting their basic food. Treats are generally higher in sugar and calories than whatever the dog is eating for its main meals. Try switching to reduced calorie snacks or even fruits and vegetables. You can also give them less feed altogether. It comes down to calorie intake. Rough estimates are that a 20 pound dog needs 200 – 275 calories a day, while a 50 pound dog will burn about 750 – 800 calories, depending on their level of exercise. A 50 pound Australian Shepherd that’s running after a flock for 12 hours a day can use more calories than the same dog sitting at home in the city. Consult a good calorie guide (see web site above) or your vet.

One way to lower calorie intake without cutting the amount of food is to switch to a reduced calorie or diet feed. Most major dog food makers, both premium feeds and more traditional feeds now offer reduced calorie varieties. You can also get reduced calorie canned foods.

Are holistic and natural diets better for overweight dogs? Not necessarily. From a weight management standpoint, many natural feeds do include less calories, sugars and fats but that is not true of all natural brands. For weight purposes food containing 500 calories is 500 calories no matter the source. The key is read the ingredient and nutrition labels on the bags or cans and to compare brands.

Exercise is the other key to weight management. The more exercise a dog does the more calories it burns. But, before you start having your pooch Sweatin’ To The Oldies, stop to consider its current condition. It is very overweight? Does it have any medical conditions? What’s its age? What is its current level of exertion? It is easier to take a dog that’s used to running three miles a day and have it run four, than it is to take a dog that does little exercise and have it walk a half a mile. Some dogs need to gradually build up their exercise routine. Again, consult your vet about exercising.

If you mean to give your dog a workout remember that the power walk (or run) is a different occasion than the social or business walk. If you are trying to burn calories than a walk where the dog stops to sniff or leave its calling card every few feet will do little good. Let your dog get all his social obligations done first, than take it on a serious exercise walk. This will burn off the desired calories, and it may just do you some good too.

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