Obesity in dogs is an increasingly common disease, but one that must be taken into account, because it can become chronic, trigger other pathologies and seriously alter the he alth of your pet.
Today, obesity is considered the number one ailment among companion animals. This disease is nothing more than the accumulation or excess of fat in the body, which causes it to increase in body mass and weight. It is not only a matter of lack or little amount of exercise, there are several reasons why a dog can be overweight and it is important to always be informed of everything that has to do with the he alth of your companion.
If you suspect that your dog is obese, but you don't know what could happen in the short and long term, continue reading this article on our site where we explain all the consequences of obesity in dogs.
Causes of obesity in dogs
Many owners regard their dogs with so much love that they think they are just a little overweight, when really what they have is obesity. The main cause of this disease is poor nutrition, offering human food or overfeeding them, but it can also be caused by other factors such as:
- Genetic predispositions of the dog's breed.
- Age (the body and metabolism do not work the same).
- Medications with this type of side effect.
- Sedentary life.
- Stress.
- Lack of stimuli that are somatized at the body level.
- Endocrine factors when, for example, a dog is castrated, suffering from hypothyroidism or Cushing's syndrome.
Obesity is a disease that progresses and worsens over time, and that must be detected at an early stage in order to start treating it as soon as possible, since the consequences of obesity in dogs could be really serious.
Consequences of obesity in dogs
Excess fat affects the animal's longevity, reducing life expectancy by almost two years compared to older dogs thin, because it not only means that the dog is overweight, but that little by little it limits its motor skills, decreases its energy, deteriorates its mood and the dog can develop other diseases.
The heart conditions is one of them due to the accumulation of large amounts of fat in the area of the heart and lungs. The increase in body weight has negative effects on the heart rate since the heart makes more effort, than it can perform, when it comes to pumping blood and carrying it throughout the body.
Arthritis and Joint degeneration is also a consequence of obesity. What happens is that the dog's skeleton is not able to support so much weight, so it becomes unbalanced. Excess pounds and fat put extraordinary pressure on the bones of the body.
Also and thanks to the fact that obesity causes insulin resistance, not allowing the dog to produce this important regulatory hormone, and at the same time, helping the excessive accumulation of sugar in the blood, the dog could start to suffer from diabetes mellitus
How to treat obesity in dogs
The bases of a complete treatment for obesity are the change or improvements of the diet combined with an active life that includes exercise and fun (a bored dog is a dog prone to obesity). On the other hand, prevent your dog from eating between meals or snacking all day on things he finds on the floor or leftover food that family members want to give him. Discover our diet for obese dogs and exercises for obese dogs and start improving the he alth of your best friend.
Next you should set a goal, in this case, an ideal weight for your dog, and let this motivate you, then you should maintain that weight. Go to the vet to guide you in this process Try to follow up by making notes at least every 10 days, that will help you see how much your dog is progressing.
Imagine that it is you yourself who must improve your life habits, give your dog the life it deserves and try everything on your part so that your pet is always he althy and happy.
