Obesity

Obesity is a nutritional condition characterized by excess body fat, and it is a common problem in dogs.

Obesity can have major health consequences that can shorten your dog's life, even if your dog is only mildly overweight.

Obesity in dogs is linked to several serious health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis.

Overfed dogs and those who cannot exercise or have a predisposition to retain weight are at the greatest danger of becoming overweight.

Obesity can affect dogs of any age, although it is most common in middle-aged dogs between the ages of 5 and 10.

Dogs that have been neutered or who live indoors are also at a higher risk of getting obese.

Obesity is diagnosed by weighing the dog and calculating a body condition score (BCS), which involves calculating the amount of fat on the dog's body.

Your vet will examine your dog by touching its ribs, lumbar area, tail, and head.

The results are then compared to the BCS chart and, if appropriate, the breed standard.

Obese dogs have an extra bodyweight of roughly 10-15%.

Dogs with a body condition score more than seven in the 9-point grading system are termed obese.

Obesity treatment is focused on progressive weight loss that is long-term sustainable.

This is performed by decreasing your dog's caloric intake while boosting his or her activity level.