Obesity In Pet Dogs



household petsIf anyone is concerned about humans getting fatter – let us not forget our household pets.

Thus, according to a report published in the official journal of the British Veterinary Association, a survey of 1000 dogs attending as outpatients in a veterinary clinic found 28% (or 1 in 3) to be obese.

Notable, the prevalence of obesity in female dogs was higher than in males (32% vs. 28%) and higher in middle-aged than younger dogs (12% vs 21% in males and 21 vs 41% in females).

Dogs getting table scraps or other home-prepared food as the main part of their diet showed a higher incidence of obesity than those fed on canned dog meat.

Also, the incidence was higher (44%) among dogs owned by people with obesity than among dogs owned by people of normal physique (25%) and was higher (34 to 37%) among dogs of people in middle and elderly age groups than among dogs owned by people under 40 years of age (20%).

Of note, the owners of 31% of the dogs classified as obese considered their dogs to be of normal weight.

Now, for any reader, who wonders what is remarkable about any of these findings – here is the surprising little detail: this paper was published in 1971!

Indeed, it is the first paper in a series of coming posts on obesity research that was published almost 5 decades ago but could have well been published last week.

It is surprising how little has changed.

@DrSharma
Edmonton, Alberta

ResearchBlogging.orgMason E (1970). Obesity in pet dogs. The Veterinary record, 86 (21), 612-6 PMID: 5465678

 

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