17 May Dog Obesity; Causes And Treatments

Dogs, like us humans, may become overweight with overeating and lack of exercise. Excessive weight gain in dogs leads to various diseases in dogs and threatens their lives. Learning how to control your dog’s weight would be best to avoid this. Make a plan for his food and monitor its implementation. Remember that prevention is always better than cure. In this article, we will discuss dog weight loss methods and tips you should know about dog obesity.

What does obesity mean in dogs? 

Obesity means excessive accumulation of white fat tissue in the body and usually occurs because the energy received from food is more compared to the energy consumed. Excess weight is harmful and dangerous for all beings. It can cause diabetes, hypothyroidism, arthritis, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, hyperthermia, cancer, difficulty breathing, difficulty cleaning the body, decreased mobility and activity and a general reduction in life length. Obesity is a pervasive problem, so almost one out of every three dogs brought to veterinary offices is overweight. The complications of dog obesity are also very high and cause high veterinary costs and decrease the quality of life. 

Causes of obesity in dogs

Obesity in dogs is significant and shouldn’t be ignored! A fat dog may be unable to do routine and daily tasks. This disease reduces lifespan and causes dangerous conditions. Due to pregnancy, female dogs are more prone to obesity and overweight than male dogs. Dog obesity has various causes that usually fall into one of these categories:

Environmental factors

Overfeeding

It means receiving more food than the energy the dog consumes with his physical activities. It can also be due to the consumption of leftovers of our food, eating very fatty food, having too many meals, too many treats and too many changes in the diet.

Healthy food

Feeding a dog plays a huge role in his health. The food you provide to your dog must be high quality and meet all his body’s nutritional needs. Elements such as corn and soy aren’t suitable for dogs. These ingredients are used in cheap foods instead of protein sources. Even if the dog eats such foods, they can’t satisfy his needs.

Not exercising

The probability of a sedentary dog becoming obese is much higher

Physiological factors

Age

Dogs over five years old are less active and burn fewer calories

Genetic predisposition

Some breeds, such as terriers, spaniels, dachshunds, beagles and labrador retrievers, are prone to obesity.

Sterilization

Sterilizing a dog and reducing the production of sex hormones reduces energy consumption and may increase the dog’s appetite.

Some medicines

Phenobarbital (anticonvulsant)

This medicine can disturb the feeling of satiety and cause overeating.

Glucocorticoids

It can cause abnormal fat deposition and weight gain

Diseases

In older dogs, problems such as arthritis reduce their ability to perform physical activities, so obesity is more common among them. Of course, obesity in dogs can have other reasons, such as:

• Hypothyroidism
• Insulinoma tumour
• Cushing syndrome 

Diagnosis of dog obesity

Veterinarians use a scale and determine the body condition score ( BCS ) to diagnose obesity in dogs. Still, we can also evaluate the conditions of the dog’s body according to these symptoms:

Thinness

Ribs, spine and pelvic bones are visible from a distance.

Ideal weight

The ribs can be felt when gently caressed, and when we look at the dog from above, it’s pretty clear that his waist is narrower than his upper body.

Excess weight

We don’t feel the ribs when gently stroking; from above, we can’t see the difference between the size of the upper body and the waist.

Obesity

The ribs can be felt only when we press the hand on them, the waist circumference is equal to or broader than the upper body, and the stomach is bulging.

If you notice that it’s difficult for the dog to do physical activities or he has no desire to do them, and recognize that your dog is fat through the above method, talk to your vet to recommend a suitable weight loss program! Of course, you should also consider the standards of your dog’s breed. For example, in the case of some species, such as greyhounds and most hunting dogs, the ribs of a dog with average weight are visible even from a distance.

Other signs of obesity in dogs

• Excess fat under the skin
• Not cleaning the body
• Inactivity
• Lethargy
• Difficulty breathing

Complications of dog obesity

Excess weight in dogs causes many problems. A few kilos of excess weight and fat in dogs’ bodies can damage the kidneys and increase the dog’s blood pressure, increasing the risk of cancer. There’s no room for doubt; that the obesity of dogs reduces their quality of life and lifespan and has the following complications:

• Types of cancer
• Diabetes
• Reduced lifespan
• Blood pressure
• Chronic kidney disease
• Diseases related to the urinary system (such as bladder stones and urinary incontinence)
• liver disease
• Respiratory infections (such as lung disorders and laryngeal diseases, which are more common in breeds with flat faces.)
• Arthritis
• Heart failure
• Arthritis and problems in back seals and joints

Treatment of dog obesity

Set a goal before starting to gain weight

Before you start the dog weight gain process, you need to know what weight you want your dog to reach. The best and healthiest weight for your dog depends on his breed. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is gaining weight without a plan. Plan for his weight gain; remember that they are creatures that need to be planned for their weight gain, just like humans.

Food Control

One of the best methods is calorie counting. In this method, weight, age, daily activity level, sterility, etc., are considered. Get the help of a veterinarian to determine the amount of daily calories your dog needs and set up a food plan for the dog. Dog food with high protein and low fat causes weight loss because protein stimulates metabolism. Fibre also makes your dog feel full. There are many commercial foods to lose or maintain weight in the market. It isn’t recommended to use blood diets because they usually don’t provide the vitamins and minerals the dog needs. If you change the dog’s diet, be careful to do it gradually! You must talk to the veterinarian nutritionists and get a food plan from them.

Start your dog’s weight gain process slowly

.To make sure your dog gains a healthy weight, you need to start this process slowly. Overeating food can harm his health. This problem causes refeeding syndrome. It means that dogs suffer from malnutrition. If they are suddenly provided with sufficient and high-quality food, their bodies may be unable to use these nutrients and suffer from hormonal and electrolyte imbalances.
To start, estimate the number of calories he’s getting now and increase it by 10%. Continue with the same amount of calories for at least a week. After this period, check his behaviour and progress. Also, check the state of the dog’s faeces to ensure you have provided him with healthy food. After the first week, add another 10% to the food calories. You can do this calorie increase in one-week intervals until you reach the best and healthiest amount of calories.

Dog snacks and treats

Dogs get a lot of calories from snacks; these treats can be part of dog training. You can use green beans and other vegetables instead of high-calorie snacks. Try not to give too many treats to the dog and use low-calorie incentives.

Dog physical activity

Movement and energy depletion are effective ways to prevent dog obesity. Also, take time and play games with the dog that are suitable for physical activity. You can do these different methods and have fun with your dog inside or outside the house to increase mobility and make him lose weight. You have other options for exercise, including:

• Walking: You can add walking to your dog’s daily routine. Take your dog for a walk twice a day for 15 to 30 minutes each time.
• Outdoor play
• Running on a treadmill
• Swimming

Regular follow-up of the dog’s weight

You are responsible for the dog’s health, and you should visit the veterinarian regularly to check and weigh the dog to maintain his health and ideal weight. Most dogs reach a suitable weight within three to six months; if your dog is still overweight after all this time, the problem could be due to hormonal imbalance.

Auxiliary equipment

If your dog eats very fast, there are special food containers in pet supply stores that the dog has to try to get every piece of food out. Also, some balls are filled with treats that come out only if the dog turns it.

Does dog obesity reduce his lifespan?

Yes, dogs with a balanced weight suffer from fewer diseases and live almost two years longer than obese dogs.

 To wrap up

Obesity is one of the most growing health problems seen in dogs today. If he is facing weight gain, follow his weight loss activities seriously because the ideal and appropriate weight is one factor leading to a longer lifespan. To have a healthy and lively dog, you must pay attention to nutrition, activity, health, grooming, etc. You can prevent the disease and have a healthy dog in this case. You can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming in all these steps. Our experienced and precise groomers have carefully and accurately groomed your dogs so they count the moments for the next session.