Dog Obesity

Over 30% dogs are affected by obesity in USA, the number being more or less the same for European dogs. Hounds or the Labrador Retrievers are more exposed to this type of affection,but small dogs also can suffer. Obesity is more common in females and neutered animals than males and occurs generally when dog's activity has decreased.

Most of dogs turn obese because they are overfed. Studies have shown that owners who feed their dogs food prepared at home will have a pat prone to obesity. The carbohydrates the dog receives through its food are not used, hence these are transformed into grease. If you put your dog on a diet low on carbohydrates, the fat stored will be used to match the energy demands and the adipose tissue eventually reduced. Obesity can also derive from hormonal problems but which are not frequent in dogs. If the disease is serious, the pet's hospitalization can be recommended by the veterinarian.

Obesity is an excessive storage of adipose tissue with negative affects on the dog's health and lifespan. Deciding if your pet is obese or not can be done by an older method. Comparing the present weight for the breed, age and sex of the dog, for example, is a useful method. Measuring body fat on physical examination or ultrasound can reliably measure the fat stored under the skin.

If you want to cut down on calories, a method would be feeding less dog than it is currently eating or involve the dog in a diet for weight reduction. Go for a diet rich in fiber and low on fat because they will help the dog lose unnecessary weight.

Last news: