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New Canine Obesity Drug FDA Approved: Causes of Canine Obesity

  • Feeding Habits: Much of the rise in canine obesity can be blamed on feeding habits ? namely giving your dog access to a bowl of dog food 24/7. (It?s known as ?free choice? in some professional circles.) Overfeeding at select meal times can be just as bad. High-calorie treats and table snacks only add to the problem.

  • Lack of Exercise: The formula for eating vs. exercise is pretty straightforward: When your furry friend takes in more calories than he or she expends, they?re going to put on weight. Many dogs simply aren?t getting enough exercise to compensate for how much they eat.

  • Neutering: Being neutered lowers the metabolic rate in dogs, which can lead to extra weight gain if feeding is not adjusted. Even so, the health benefits of spaying or neutering, as well as eliminating behavior disorders related to the mating instinct and unwanted litters, far outweigh the risk of a slower metabolism and potential weight gain. A balanced diet and exercise can help keep your neutered dog from gaining weight.

  • Slow Metabolism: Just like you, your dog?s metabolism slows with age. Most dogs start to show that middle-age spread by age 5 or 6. (Any dog overweight at 2 years of age is a sign of real trouble ahead.)

  • Breed: Genetics play a role, too. Certain breeds are simply more prone to weight gain, notably beagles, cocker spaniels, collies, shelties, basset hounds, dachshunds and Labrador/golden retrievers.

  • Hormonal Disorders: A wide array of hormonal disorders and other ailments also lead to or complicate canine obesity. They range from hypothyroidism to Cushing?s disease (hyperadrenocorticism).

You and your dog have a lot in common. You play together. You eat and relax together. And if you aren?t careful about how much you eat and relax, you both might pack on unwanted weight together ? excess fat that can be tough to shed.

Exactly how that extra weight is shed can be just as important to your dog?s health as the weight reduction itself. Of course, the first step is identifying the problem.

Canine Obesity? Just How Bad Is It? Canine obesity is an important ? and very common ? medical condition with serious health implications. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has estimated that there are 41.2 million pet dogs in the United States. Other sources estimate 40 percent of those dogs, approximately 17 million, are overweight or obese.  A recent study conducted by Pfizer Animal Health found that veterinarians consider 47% of their patients overweight or obese but only 17% of dog owners think the same.  Why the difference?  It could be denial or the difficulty owners have in recognizing when their dogs are overweight.