Fat cells contribute to inflammation. Inflammation causes pain. Therefore, having extra fat cells sets dogs up to become and remain painful. The path to successful weight loss and weight maintenance includes partnership with your veterinarian to track results, as well as to manage any pain.
What does being overweight do to a dog?
"Excess fat negatively impacts a dog's health and longevity." Obese dogs develop an increased risk for: many types of cancer, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and hypertension. osteoarthritis and a faster degeneration of affected joints.
Does obesity shorten a dog's life?
New research with data provided by Banfield Pet Hospital found that the lifespan of overweight dogs was up to 2 1/2 years shorter, on average, than the lifespan of dogs with a healthy body weight.
How do you help a severely overweight dog?
1Keep Your Dog Active. Just like humans, exercise is crucial when it comes to helping your overweight dog get healthy. ... 2Distinguish Between Begging and Hunger. ... 3Limit Treats and Table Scraps. ... 4Customize Your Dog's Diet. ... 5Don't Go Cold Turkey.8 Ways to Help Your Overweight Dog – American Kennel Club
How long can an obese dog live?
This was the largest difference found. Big dogs had a smaller difference, but still had a reduced lifespan if they were overweight. A normal-weight male German Shepherd lives for 12.5 years, whereas his overweight counterpart only lives 12.1 years on average. This was the smallest difference found in the study.
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