A new study has revealed the true extent of the overweight epidemic in dogs across the UK. The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) says that 1 in 14 dogs are recovered as overweight by their vets each year.
The study was led by the RVC’s VetCompass programme, who say that the findings may only be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to canine obesity, as not every overweight dog will receive veterinary attention for the issue.
The breeds identified as especially prone to weight gain include Pugs, Beagles, Golden Retrievers and English Springer Spaniels. The study involved the monitoring of 22,333 dogs for a year and identifed that 1,580 were recorded as overweight.
The findings showed that neutered and middle-aged were additionally associated with increasing chances of dogs being overweight. The RVC said that changes in sex hormones following neutering are thought to result in "behaviour changes, specifically increased appetite and decreased physical activity, leading to a tendency to gain weight".
Therefore, the college noted, owners "should discuss changes to the diet and exercise plans when they are discussing neutering of their dog with their veterinarian and make adjustments as necessary".
Camilla Pegram, VetCompass Epidemiologist at the RVC, and author of the paper, said:
“This study has used the power of “big data” to robustly address the risk factors for obesity in dogs. Pugs, Beagles and Golden Retrievers were at greatest risk of obesity compared with crossbreeds. As well as genetics, management style could in part drive these breed predispositions. Whilst veterinary professionals and owners should focus efforts on obesity prevention strategies in all dogs, those identified at high-risk, such as Pugs, Beagles and Golden Retrievers, may need a more targeted approach.”
Dr Eleanor Raffan, Associate Lecturer in Systems Physiology, at the University of Cambridge, and co-author of the paper, said:
“Where breed increases risk of a problem, it means genes are likely to be at least in part to blame and our previous work suggests that genetics drives a high appetite in some breeds. The bad news is that owners of food-obsessed dogs have to work much harder to keep their dogs at a healthy weight – the good news is that it can be done.”
Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer, Companion Animal Epidemiology, at the RVC, and co-author of the paper, said:
“To defeat your enemy, you need to know your enemy. Obesity is the enemy of the health of our dogs. This new study identifies the breeds and ages of dogs that are most susceptible to obesity; we can use this information to defeat obesity.”
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