14 DAY TRIAL // A scientific study carried out by veterinary researchers at the University of Glasgow, concluded that six out of ten pet dogs were overweight or obese. This phenomenon is determined by pets' alimentary habits, lack of exercise and their owners' age and fortune. The research was published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice.
Researchers in Companion Animal Studies at the University of Glasgow analyzed data from 696 dogs and their owners, that attended five city veterinary practices. At least 15 percent of the dogs were classified as obese, because they highly surpassed the optimum weight for their breed. Owners were what were they feeding their dogs and how often, and also how often did the dog exercise and what were the owners' age and income.
After gathering all this information, the study results showed that 35.3% of dogs had an ideal body shape, 38.9% were overweight and 20.4% were obese. Also, 5.3% of dogs were underweight. Obese dogs were those that received scraps from the table every month, older dogs and neutered females and overweight dogs were those that received treats and snacks very often. Also, the dogs whose owners earned less than £10,000 a year were much more likely to be obese or overweight than those whose owners earned £40,000 or more.
Dr Philippa Yam, Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Veterinary medicine, at the University of Glasgow and leader of the study, said: “Obesity is an important welfare issue and one that needs to be addressed. As in human beings, being overweight has major health implications because obesity is known to predispose to or exacerbate a range of medical conditions, including arthritis, expiratory airway dysfunction and ultimately decreased longevity.”
She added that “As well as factors described in our paper, we have also found that misperception of pet body condition is also likely to be a factor in pet obesity. Positive steps need to be taken to ensure that the number of overweight pets in the UK is reduced.”