Dog Obesity: An Epidemic

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Nearly 50 million dogs in the U.S. are overweight or obese, that’s more than 50% of all dogs!
This makes weight the leading health threat to our nation’s canines today.
Obesity Shortens Lives - Just as in humans, excessive fat in dogs increases the risk of often-preventable health conditions, such as: arthritis, liver disease, diabetes, and even heart failure.
It’s awful to think, but all studies show that ultimately, obese pets tend to live shorter lives with more medical problems.
How can it be that we’ve allowed the majority of our beloved dogs fall victim to this preventable condition?
Lack of awareness is a leading cause. Us owners simply don’t know what a healthy dog is supposed to look like or appreciate the severity of our dog’s weight problems. For this, it's helpful to think of the dog-to-human analogy. A dog owner may hear that their dog is “only” 10 pounds overweight and not think much of it; but if the dog’s ideal weight is 20 pounds, that means they weigh 150% of what they should! That would be like a man of 150 pounds - weighing in at 225. When that same level of excess weight is demonstrated on a human its far more obvious that there’s a weight problem.
The more direct cause of the canine obesity epidemic is Overfeeding.
Overfeeding from not measuring, from food stealing, or from giving too much love through treats and table scraps.
While the well-being of our dogs is the primary concern here it’s also worth mentioning that canine obesity costs pet parents millions in avoidable medical services.
There are over a million claims per year for Obesity-Related Conditions, with a staggering $16.6 billion dollars in total Veterinary Expenses in America alone.
The most common obesity-related claims being Arthritis-related and carrying a average price tag of $310 dollars per treatment.
Controlling and Preventing Obesity is the most critical dog-related issue of our time.
Here are some steps that pet parents can take TODAY to reverse or prevent dog obesity:
• Schedule annual wellness exams with your veterinarian to develop and track a Doggy Diet Plan. Get specific to ensure a consistent portion-controlled diet and account for the treats!
• Replace food treats with other ways to show love like extra play time, a little exercise routine, or simply holding and petting.
Together we can combat this epidemic and gain more years of love and joy from our furry family members.
PawLabs is committed to this cause, developing informational resources like this video, providing interactive digital tools to measure, track, and evaluate your dog’s weight, and in providing helpful veterinarian-formulated products such as G-Max Joint Support for improving canine hip and joint health. Our mission is to provide your dog with the very best, to live a long, happy, healthy life.
We are the ones feeding our companions - and it is our responsibility to make the change!