Obesity in Cats and Dogs: The Biggest Health Threat to Your Pets
While you might think your cat is perfectly healthy, your veterinarian may say otherwise. Let’s discuss what might be wrong with your pet.
For starters, obesity in cats and dogs is a severe health crisis. Unfortunately, most people don’t know that obesity can lead to more health problems.
What are the potential consequences of obesity in pets?
Obesity can reduce lifespan in pets. Research now shows that thin pets outlive fat dogs by about two years. Therefore, looking at obesity and overweight in cats and dogs as a trivial health problem is a misconception.
- Shorter life span and poor quality of life
If you want to know if your dog is obese, you can use the body condition score. On this scale, 1 shows starvation and eight denotes morbidly obese.
Research done on Labrador Retrievers now shows that canines that have a lower BCS can live longer than overweight dogs that rank higher on the BCS scale. Slimmer dogs have a lower risk of common chronic diseases. With that in mind, you should remember to ensure your dog has an ideal weight for a long healthy life.
- Arthritis
Leaner dogs are less likely to suffer from arthritis and hence experience less pain when they age than obese dogs. Additionally, low body fat improves mobility and reduce lameness problems.
- Intervertebral disk disease
IVDD, commonly known as intervertebral disk disease, can paralyze your dog. And the sad thing is that all dogs are vulnerable to suffer from this disease. The Dachshund is particularly susceptible to suffer from disk disease. If your Corgi or Doxie is obese, the risk of suffering from disc disease is higher.
- Body inflammation
Essentially, obese dogs are more likely to suffer from body inflammation, and this can eventually lead to diabetes, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal disease, to mention a few. You should walk your dog regularly to shed off the extra weight so that you can avoid the onset of these diseases.
- Breathing problems
Overweight dogs usually have trouble breathing that may lead to the onset of conditions such as laryngeal paralysis or collapsing trachea. Obesity in dogs will also overwork the heart. You should ensure your dog has a healthy weight for prolonged, better life. Instead of walking your dog, you can take a morning job with them to keep them healthy so that they can avoid arthritic or breathing problems.
Conclusion
If you suspect your dog is suffering from obesity, you need to consult your vet as soon as possible to avoid the onset of diseases.
References: Petful, Banfield, Omicsonline
Copyright: Local Value
