If Your Dog Is Overweight

Of course, the talk these days is the level of obesity in humans; it's growing every day, and of course, everyone from Oprah to your family doctor is after you to lose weight if you're overweight. However, the same careful consideration does not always go to the family pet. Nonetheless, pets, too, struggle with obesity these days, and just as with humans, complications from overweight and obesity can occur. The only permanent resolution in most cases for both dog and human is to lose the weight through diet and exercise.

To compare this to humans, if a man who is a healthy weight at 170 pounds gains 5 pounds, it's a relatively small gain and will probably not impact his overall health unless he continues the trend. However, if a 35-pound dog gains 5 pounds, he has gained one seventh, or 14 to 15%, of his weight. This is unhealthy, and is to be considered overweight to obese, depending on whether the dog was overweight before he gained that 5 pounds.

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Just as with humans, dogs that are overweight or obese can experience the same disorders related to overweight and obesity, such as diabetes, breathing problems, strain on the heart and other cardiac problems, and a generally shortened lifespan, among others.

Now, keep in mind that although Fido may look awfully cute begging for those table scraps, oftentimes, this is one of the major causes of overweight. Your dog's food should be fine and nutritious for him by itself, with no additional food outside of his preordained diet. If you think it's not, check with your vet to make sure. Although an occasional "treat" is probably okay, it shouldn't be done regularly with human foods. Dog treats specifically made for your dog can be incorporated into your dog's diet as long as they are high-quality and you take into account the calories they contain; in general, your vet can tell you how many calories your dog should eat a day, depending on his activity level. There are also special low calorie dog foods for overweight dogs so that they can get down to their normal weight more quickly.

To check your dog's weight, in general, if you run your hand over your dog's back and sides, you should be able to feel but not see his ribs. He should look fit, alert and athletic, depending on his age. (Of course, older dogs will be slower in movement and may be less alert.) As with anything, check with your vet to make sure what your dog's healthy weight and appearance should be. There are some dog breeds that have a rounder shape, but in general, you should be able to feel but not see your dog's ribs if he is of a sleek coat.

If it is determined at your dog has a weight problem, then it behooves you to control what your dog eats. Cut back or eliminate those table scraps, switch to a lower calorie diet food if necessary and increase your dog's exercise as his health permits. Simply taking your dog for a long walk twice a day may help burn off enough calories that you won't have to significantly reduce your dog's calories, although you should still eliminate if not reduce table scraps, since they are not healthy or balanced for dogs. And of course, taking your dog for a walk twice a day will also only benefit you, since you'll be getting your exercise, too.

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