Grantham pet expert Sara Barnes talks about overweight dogs

It’s important to monitor your dog’s weight, writes Sara Barnes, of Who Let Your Dogs Out? in Grantham.

A recent study from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) revealed that 1 in 14 dogs in the UK is reported by their vets as overweight. The study included 22,333 dogs whose health was tracked for a year and identified that 1,580 were recorded as overweight.

The problem (an overweight dogs epidemic) is more than just the dog being overweight. An obese dog has a reduced lifespan, a reduced quality of life and a higher risk of suffering from certain medical conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, certain cancers and breathing problems, along with heart disease. All of which are similar to the health issues an overweight human can suffer from.

It is really important to note that once your dog has been overweight their metabolism will slow and unlike us humans it doesn’t speed up when they lose weight so they will need to be on a calorie restricted diet for the rest of their life.

So how do you help your dog to lose weight without injuring them in the process, it’s not all about exercise!

Speak to your vet and ask for help as to which is the better options for food choices for your dog. It might mean a simple switch from your adult dog food to the overweight adult version, but it could also mean you need to transition over to a new brand, which takes time.

Portion control is key to success.

• If in doubt err on the side of slight less, rather than slightly more.

• Weigh your dogs food, please don’t just use a cup with a measure written on the side, as it is too easy to just add a little extra to each meal.

• Feed your dog for the weight they should be, not the weight they are. If in doubt speak to your vet for advice.

• If you give your dog treats then reduce their meal allowance accordingly.

• Don’t give in to the puppy dog or pleading eyes, you are doing it for their own good.

Increase your dogs exercise. Here are some alternatives if your dog has joint pain/issues:

• If your dog suffers from joint pain after a long walk, then little and often is the key.

• Non load bearing exercise like swimming is good cardio without stressing their joints.

• Avoid activities that require or cause you dog to turn sharply or jump as these can increase joint pressure.

Check your dogs weight regularly, so that you can check if what you are doing is having a positive affect and allow for minor adjustments rather than drastic ones that will be harder for you and your dog to accept.