Being overweight is becoming normal for dogs and even felines. Some people who see a healthy lean canine would often react or see it as too thin or unhealthy. Our pets would never want to be overweight; should they become one, it’s the responsibility of fur parents to keep their weight in check and back to normal.
If you still think of your chubby dog as cute, we’ll tackle why it’s not and why you should start working on managing their weight immediately.
Why Dog Obesity Should Never Be Ignored
Though dogs never have to worry about other dogs and people making fun of them at the park, being obese has been linked to many serious health conditions that can severely affect their well-being. Below are five common diseases associated with dog obesity.
1. Joint degeneration
Obesity can easily damage your pet’s joints, partially because of the burden of carrying extra weight. Moreover, the excess weight their joints carry can break down the cartilage’s cushioning inside the joints. Once dogs get arthritis, it can be hard to manage as the lack of cushion inside their joints may lead to further damage caused by the arthritic changes.
Even if you manage to get your pet’s weight back to normal, the degeneration of their joints can be irreversible. This is why early prevention is always important, especially if you’re slowly seeing your dog gain weight little by little. If you own a pet with arthritis, they might benefit from acupuncture for dogs as it relieves pain and provides relaxation to their joints and bones.
2. Urinary tract or bladder disease
Uroliths, often called urinary bladder stones, are stone-like deposits that develop in animals’ bladders, including dogs, mostly overweight ones. These stones can be excruciating and often lead to urinary tract infections. Bladder stones can block the urine flow and can be life-threatening when not addressed by a veterinarian immediately.
So if you’ve read about the common signs associated with bladder stones in dogs, don’t delay their treatment. Immediately take them to a nearby veterinary diagnostic lab so the diagnosis and treatment can begin immediately. You may browse the web for more details on the common vet diagnostic services.
3. Heart and breathing conditions
Excessive weight in dogs can cause high blood pressure and heart conditions and is often linked to breathing problems. Overweight dogs are vulnerable to laryngeal paralysis and a collapsing trachea. Left untreated, these airway-related conditions might lead to a severe respiratory crisis that can be life-threatening.
This is why you should always be consistent with your dog’s preventatives and pet vaccinations. During each session, the vet can check your pet, evaluate its weight, and recommend actions to help prevent the onset of any conditions related to dog obesity.
4. Shortened lifespan
Overweight dogs cannot play enthusiastically like their healthy fellows, breathe normally, and live a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, obese dogs are often irritable to feel pain, hotness, or uncomfortableness. Due to this, they are unlikely to fully live their expected lifespan than those maintained at a healthy weight.
5. Cancer
Dog cancer is always linked to obesity. Overweight dogs are prone to many other health issues, but cancer is the most dangerous. Today, there have been no accurate treatments to address cancer in dogs, as most dogs diagnosed with cancer are expected to live shorter than their breed’s supposed lifespan.