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The lead article
in the April 2007 issue of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine is
about obesity in canines. One study
done by the National Academy of Sciences show that 25 to 40% of our companion
animals are obese.
Not just fat. Obese! And, three quarters of their owners don’t
see their dogs that way at all. Or, do
not want to see their dogs as obese?
The result, sad to say, is the same:
unhealthy, unhappy and uncomfortable companions who count on their
people to monitor such things as what and how much they can eat. 10% overweight may
shorten the dog’s life by 33% and 20% overage makes that figure leap to
50%. The review states that the
“fourth top cause of canine death is obesity-induced disease” according to
the American Veterinary Medical Association.
And people refuse to see the situation or, if they see it, often fail
to take action to improve the lives of those animals that depend on them
100%. What to me is even sadder is
when vets do not tell their clients that their dogs are obese and make it
clear just what that is doing to the animal!
Dr. Sean Delaney of the Routinely I see
dogs struggling to walk with their owners.
Their breathing is rapid, they are panting, they are limping from the
joint pains – the one thing they are not doing is enjoying the outing. The various
illnesses you impose on your dog when you allow her to gain those extra
pounds are multiple. Arthritis and
other orthopedic disorders are often related to the excess wear and tear
imposed on body joints having to deal with the extra weight. While many dogs may get arthritic
conditions as they age just being a “little bit” overweight brings on the
conditions sooner, escalates the deterioration, and causes pain earlier in
the dog’s life. Existing problems
are exacerbated and they include luxating patella,
hip dysplasia, ruptured or torn ligaments
supporting joints, and ruptured spinal disks.
Even small reductions in weight can give the suffering dogs some
relief from the pain. Breathing problems
are clearly evident and never more so than with breeds with breathing
problems to begin with – English Bull Dogs, French Bull Dogs, Boxers,
Pekinese, Pugs, etc. These breeds have enough trouble breathing without fighting
the extra pounds! Fat dogs often try to stop regularly while walking in an
effort to improve their breathing.
They indicate shortness of breath, they
snort, gasp, use a wide footed stance and allow their tongues to hang out of
their mouths all with the hope of increasing air intake. How very, very sad. Fat contributes to
the condition because it constricts the diaphragm, lungs and airways. Nice thought, eh? That fat and the
fat in the abdomen of course complicates surgery
both for the surgeon and for the anesthesiologist who tries to monitor the
anesthesia. Fat cells absorb some
forms of anesthesia and therefore take a longer time to leave the body after
surgery. Obese dogs have a higher rate
of death following surgery than dogs with proper body weight. The doctor’s
job of diagnosing problems is totally compromised as she probes and palpates
trying to check on organs, locate a lump, etc. and lab results on blood and
urine tests are altered! And we aren’t
finished yet with the downside of obesity.
The liver may be affected, diabetes may result, some
studies indicate that obesity contributes to bladder or mammary cancers. Immune system suppression, incontinence and
skin and coat health are affected negatively. So – be realistic
about your dog. Really, really accept
responsibility for those extra pounds and what it is doing to your dog. She doesn’t know that by eating the extra
dog food, happily accepting a slice of pizza, nibbling away off and on all
day long, begging for and getting fatty foods, causes her the pains making so
much of her life less comfortable than it could be and having her die sooner
than need be. Only you can help
her to live well and comfortably. H
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