Obesity in Dogs

Obesity in dogs is an increasing and serious problem in the UK. Over 50% of our pets are overweight and it is a problem that is leading to many secondary life-affecting conditions.

Weight problems and obesity in pets can arise through lack of owner education on good quality diets and correct feeding regimes, overfeeding, feeding extra titbits and treats, age, lack of exercise, and sometimes medical conditions. Neutering can also cause weight gain as the body's natural metabolism is altered, but this can be managed so long as the owner is aware this can happen, and food and exercise is adjusted accordingly.

Weight gain will occur when the amount of calories consumed by the pet exceeds the amount of calories burnt through everyday living and exercise. 

Associated problems with Obesity in Dogs

• Joint problems such as Arthritis and Semi-Luxated joints – the extra weight and stress on the pet's joints will cause wear and tear leading to long lasting problems.
   
• Diabetes Mellitus – overweight and obese pets are twice as likely to develop this life long and expensive condition
  
• Heart Disease – Extra stress on the heart may cause many cardiac problems to occur
   
• Liver Disease – Extra fat deposits in the liver may affect its function and cause cirrhosis of healthy tissue.
   
• Skin problems – The extra rolls of fat will cause bacteria to grow within the folds, causing uncomfortable conditions such as malassezia and pyoderma
   
• Reduced exercise tolerance – the same as overweight humans; the pet will have become overweight through lack of exercise and so will have become increasingly unfit.
   
• Lethargy – due to being unfit and the extra effort the body is under because of the extra weight the pet will find it harder to move around as well as before and so will sleep more and do less.
   
• Overheating – due to the fat covering the pet, it will find it harder to cope in hot conditions and so will become more susceptible to heat stress.

An overweight pet will have a reduced life expectancy; studies have shown that overweight pets live an average of 2 years less than healthy pets with a regular weight for their breed.  

All of these problems associated with obesity and overweight pets can create very costly vet bills, but can be prevented by keeping your pet in good shape and at its optimal weight.

How Can I tell if my Dog is Overweight?

• Increased fat layers over the ribs and back – The ribs and spinal processes cannot be easily felt 
• Loss of a ‘waist’
• Loss of abdominal tuck – replaced by fat and in cats will hang
• Reluctance for long amounts of exercise
• Tend to be out of breath a lot even on short walks
• Difficulty walking and running
• Sleeping more often
• Needing to loosen their collar

I think my Dog is Overweight, what should I do?

Your pet should have its weight checked every year at its annual booster vaccination by your vet and so any weight issues will be mentioned then, but if you are concerned that your pet may be heavier than it should be then make an appointment to see a veterinary nurse at your veterinary practice. They will be able to place your pet on a diet which is best suited for your pet, give you tips and help on how to encourage optimal weight loss, and support you throughout the diet until the target weight has been reached. They will then be able to design a maintenance diet to help keep the weight off and maintain the target weight.

Depending on how overweight your pet is will depend on the type of diet food you should feed your pet. The diet should always be of high quality, a fixed formula and nutritionally balanced (please see the main section on Nutrition for further details). If your pet is only slightly over its optimal weight then a reduced calorie light diet would be the first option. If your pet is largely over its optimal weight or described as obese then it may be suggested that a veterinary prescription weight reduction diet would be best. These diets can be purchased through the Petprescription website and support optimal weight loss through restricted calorie intake. They are highly digestible and nutritionally balanced, they are low in fat, and the animal's daily energy requirements will be obtained from the body's stored fat. They will have a high fibre content to add bulk, so the pet will feel full and so will be less likely to scavenge. The high fibre content may lead to a greater production of faeces although some diets use vegetable cellulose fibre which is more digestible and so normal amounts of faeces should be produced.

How do I work out a feeding regime for my overweight dog?

If you have been advised a prescription diet your veterinary nurse or vet should have worked out a feeding plan for you. If you are starting your pet on a reduced calorie diet, the first thing you will need to do is decide what your pet's ideal weight should be for its breed. This is often difficult as all animals are different and sometimes the suggested breed weight is not always correct for your pet. It may be better to go by the pet's appearance and then work towards set target weights. An ideal body shape for dogs is; that they should have a ‘waist’ and not fat lumps over the hips, there should not be an excess covering of fat and you should be able to feel the animal's ribs and spine without pressing too hard, and there should be a clearly defined abdominal tuck with no hanging fat pads. Decide on a 1st target depending on how overweight your pet is, once you reach that target reassess the body condition and then if necessary make a 2nd target, and continue until the optimal body condition has been reached for your pet.

When deciding on how much to feed your pet, again you will have to have a vague idea of an optimal body weight for your pet, you will then need to refer to the feeding guide lines one the packet of food. You will need to feed the amount suggested for the weight your pet should be and not what it is currently.

Light Dog Diets;

Hills Light, James Wellbeloved Light

Veterinary Prescription Diets for Overweight Dogs;

Hills™ R/D, Hills™ W/D, Waltham® Royal Canin Obesity, and Waltham ® Royal Canin Weight Control

Tips and advice to help with your dog's weight loss;

Treats and Tit Bits should be kept to an absolute minimum, giving any extras in additon to your dog's food ration will compromise what you are trying to achieve in dieting your pet. Most pets will respond to games, or cuddles as rewards and so food treats are not necessary. If you really insist on giving treats then try taking a small handful of biscuits from the pet's daily ration and use these as treats, therefore the pet thinks they are getting a treat, but are really getting no more than their daily allowance, also raw carrot may be given as a treat.

Exercise should be encouraged as much as possible. If you are feeding your pet a restricted calorie diet, but your pet is still just sleeping and not doing much, they will not burn the calories so weight loss will be slow or not at all. For dogs, initially just begin with short walks once or twice a day; your pet may be unfit so build up the exercise levels slowly. As your pet loses weight you will see an increase in energy levels, and so the amount of exercise tolerated will also increase. Try as many different terrains as possible, stones, sand, dirt, grass, and also take your dog swimming.

Feeding – The daily allowance should be spilt into at least 2 meals a day, small regular meals will increase the metabolism levels, also try to feed the last meal at approximately 5pm so they have some time to burn off some calories before bed time. If you live in a house rather than a bungalow, try feeding your pet at the top of the stairs, or if it’s a cat put their food on top of something they will need to jump up onto, this will provide a little bit of extra exercise!

What should I do once my dog's optimal body weight has been reached?

Once your pet has reached its optimal body weight you will need to devise a maintenance diet to help maintain the optimal weight and not start to increase again. Do not think you can start feeding your pet table scraps and treats again as this will pile back on the pounds.

If you were feeding a reduced calorie light diet such as Hills™ Light, or James Wellbeloved Light, then you may decide to continue feeding this at the amount recommended for your pet's weight, or you may decide to change onto a normal adult food, again feeding at the amount recommended for your pet's optimal weight. You will need to continue to give regular amounts of exercise, and not feed any extras to your pet's daily allowance, if the odd treat is given, then give a little extra exercise.



If you were feeding a veterinary prescription diet you should have been having regular weight checks with your veterinary nurse. Once the optimal weight is reached you may be changed onto a veterinary prescription maintenance diet such as Hills™ W/D for a period of time, or your nurse may decide to put your pet on a light variety. You will still be encouraged to attend regular weight checks for some time to make sure the maintenance diet is working and your pet is not gaining or losing weight. Regular check ups in this way will help to catch any weight gain early, so the diet can be adjusted accordingly.

At the end of your pets' diet you should end up with a much happier, healthier pet, that can enjoy its life to the full!

 

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