Obesity In Dogs

-

             


   Obesity refers to excessive fat accumulation in the adipose tissue of dog due to over intake of energy rich foods leading to increase in the body weight of the dog which will have negative impact on the health of the dog.

Breeds which are prone to canine obesity?

              Some of the medium and large sized canine breeds more susceptible to obesity like 
              Labridor 
              Dachshund 
              Doberman pinscher 
              Hounds
              German shepherd 
              Bull dog and pug
              Beagles etc.

Complications due to obesity in dogs?

                 Obesity is associated with reduced life span of dog, diabetes ( type 2), Hypothyroidism, osteoarthritis, hypertension, difficulty in breathing, cardiovascular disease, increased risk of cancer, fowl smell from the dog, urinary bladder stones, anaesthetic complications etc.

Causes of obesity in dogs :

                  Over feeding 
                  Lack of exercise 
                  Genetic predisposition ( some breeds are more predisposed to obesity) 
                 Neutering/ spaying ( OH or castration which leads to decrease in production of sex hormones leading to decrease in energy expenditure) 
                Medication ( glucocorticoids can leada to abnormal fat deposition and weight gain) 
               Insulinoma ( tumor in pancreas) 
               Hypothyroidism leads to weight gain
               Hyper adrenocorticism can contribute to weight gain. 

Diagnosis of obese dogs :

                Obesity can be diagnosed by measuring dog's body weight and obtaining a body condition score (BCS).BCS is a quantitative but subjective way to measure body fat of the animal. BCS charts use the following general body condition while measuring system. 

               Two recognised BCS scales are used for evaluation one ranging from 1-5 and other scale from 1-9. Animal with BCS score of 5 and 9 refer to very obese condition of dog.

         Now check what you feel and what you see and assign score ( BCS ).


1/5 or 1/9   :  Ribs, back bone and pelvic bones stick out. Loss of muscle mass present.

1.5/5 or 2/9 : Ribs, back bone and pelvic bones visible, but only minor loss of muscle mass. 

2/5 or 3/9   : Ribs, back bone, pelvis easily palpated and somewhat visible. 

2.5/5 or 4/9 : Ribs, pelvis, backbone easily palpated but not as visible. 

3/5 or 5/9   :  Ribs, pelvis and back bone palpable with thin layer of fat covering. 

3.5/5 or 6/9 : slight fat layer over ribs, back bone and pelvis making them more difficult to palpate. Waistline visible but not prominent. 

4/5 or 7/9   :  Ribs covered with heavy fat layer requiring finger pressure to feel. Difficult to feel back bone or pelvis. 

4.5 or 8/9 :    Ribs, pelvis and backbone covered with thick fat layer and palpable only with extreme pressure. 
 
5/5 or 9/9  :    Ribs and back bone not palpable under thick fat layer. Fat deposits on legs, face and over tail head covering pelvis. 

                 Excess body weight of 10-15 percent is considered obese. In a 5 point or 9 point BCS scoring system, a score greater than 4/5 or 7/9 is considered obese. 

Treatment for obesity in dogs :

               Identify the dog which is obese and adjust the diet with high fiber and protein but low in fat ( calories ), as high protein diet stimulates metabolism and energy expenditure. 
              Protein also helps provide a feeling of fullness, so your dog willnot feel hungry again shortly after eating. Dietary fiber  increases digestion by supporting the helpful bacteria present in the stomach.
             Exercise is as important as diet in reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight. Some of the important waya of exercises like taking the dog outside for walking atleast for 30 minutes twice in a day or training the dog for treadmill exercise, swimming etc.

Note :

              Incase of any quires regarding your pet please feel free to contact me on

        Youcanmaildoctor@gmail.com

                     Thank you. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Care for Aged Dogs

-
Image
                           Aging is a normal part of everyone's life, and at some point all dogs become seniors. It is the natural process of things and every owner should be prepared for it.                 It is important to remember that many physiological changes occur during the aging process that your canine companion will experience. These include: Lack of energy Reduced hearing Changes in eyesight Arthritis  Obesity Dental problems Cancers Cardiac and kidney diseases                  All dogs are not considered seniors at the same age, it mainly depends on the breed and the dogs unique traits.  Small breeds at 10 - 11 years of age  Medium sized breeds at 8 - 10 years  Gaint breeds at 5 - 6 years of age                 Special care should be taken to the dogs when they...
Read more

Dog - Chocolate

-
Image
 Why is chocolate bad for dogs?                       Chocolate contain an ingredient called theobromine ( similar to caffeine ) which is toxic to dog. As humans can easily metabolise theobromine whereas dog takes long time to metabolise theobromine which leads to accumulation of toxins in the system.                       Though chocolate is toxic for dogs but a small amount only leads to vomitions, stomach upset and diarrhoea. Whereas, a large amount of theobromine leads to tremors, irregular heart beat, seizures and internal bleeding e.t.c leading to death of dog.                        The onset of theobromine poisoning shows the symptoms of hyperactivity, as theobromine is a brain stem stimulant. Chocolates with theobromine levels :                       ...
Read more