Obesity Archives | Center for Dog Pain Relief

Posted on February 23, 2022February 16, 2022 by The CDPR Team — Leave a comment

How To Help a Dog Lose Weight

Overview

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In the United States, 56% of dogs are overweight or obese, and this extra weight is connected to a wide range of health issues. One reason for a pet obesity epidemic is due to the fact that us, as humans, often associate food with happiness and love. Giving dogs food including table scraps has often been a way that people have told their dogs that they love them. What they don’t know is that they may slowly be killing their dog. Getting started with weight loss for your dog can be difficult. Keep reading to learn more on how to help a dog lose weight.

How Do I Know If My Dog is Overweight?

If you’re concerned that your dog has gained weight or just not sure if they’re at the right weight (instead of either over or underweight), you an follow some of these guidelines:

Look at Your Dog From Above

Examining your dog’s body form is one of the easiest methods to tell whether he or she is overweight. If you notice that your dog seems chubby and oval-shaped when viewed from above, it’s probable that your dog is overweight. If your dog, on the other hand, has a definite waist at the back and a straight build along the sides, they’re generally at a healthy weight.

Feel Your Dog's Ribs

The ribs of your dog should be visible without being hidden by a thick layer of fat. Your dog’s ribcage should feel like the back of your hand.

Check The Tuck

Look at your dog from the side and check if the chest is wider than the abdomen. The waist should be elevated or “tucked” up.

Monitor Your Dog's Endurance and Energy

Overweight dogs may have lower endurance levels. You dog may be puffing while walking or walking slower than they should be for their age and size. You could even notice your dog sleeping more than normal.

The Body Condition Score

The Body Condition Score (BCS) is a hands-on examination of your dog in which you then give them a score. It takes into account how easy your dog’s ribs and shoulder bones are to feel, if you can feel but not see your dog’s spine and hip bones, whether you can see your dog’s final rib, whether your dog has an hourglass form, and whether your dog has a distinct waist when seen from the side. After that, you may give your dog a score between 1 and 9 as follows:

1 – 3: Underweight – Spine, ribs, and hip bones are plainly evident, there is minimal fat, and the waist is clearly seen.

4 – 5: Ideal Weight – Spine, ribs, and hip bones are not visible but might be felt, properly proportioned, and a waistline can be seen.

6 – 9: Overweight to Obese – Spine, ribs, and hip bones are not easily seen or felt, waist is barely visible or not visible at all, and visibility fat deposits on the waist, face, and limbs. are not easily seen or felt, waist is barely visible or not visible at all, and visibility fat deposits on the waist, face, and limbs.

Why is a Healthy Weight in Dogs Important?

Your dog is in danger of having major medical problems even if he or she is only five pounds overweight. Obesity in dogs is linked to numerous painful health conditions including but not limited to:

Type 2 Diabetes
Heart Disease
Osteoarthritis
Joint Injuries
High Blood Pressure
Certain Cancers

Overweight or obese dogs often also have a shorter lifespan than their healthy-weight counterparts. Overweight dogs are usually also less energetic and playful, and they spend less time physically engaging with their owners. According to a study, dogs that are at a healthy weight live far longer than canines who are overweight.

How To Help a Dog Lose Weight

Prior to embarking on a weight loss plan, schedule your annual exam or standard appointment with your primary veterinarian. It’s possible that your dog may be suffering from an underlying health condition that’s causing the weight gain, especially if it’s sudden and there haven’t been any changes to your dog’s diet or lifestyle.

There are various ways you can help a dog lose weight, most of which can be done together for maximum results.

Measure Food and Calories

The nutrition info on the back of most dog foods provides inaccurate information on portion sizes by size. You can cut back on those a little and use a measuring cup to ensure correct measuring. Use the below chart to help figure out how many calories your dog should be ingesting to be able to lose weight. This may also vary on your dog’s current activity level. Your vet may also be able to help determine a preferred calorie intake for weight loss.

Calories Needed to Lose Weight

Body Weight in Pounds	Puppy Up To 4 Months	Puppy Over 4 Months	Neutered Adult	Intact Adult	Obese Prone	Weight Loss
1	115	77	61.5	73	58	X
2	194	129	104	123	97	X
3	264	176	141	168	132	X
4	330	220	176	198	154	110
5	390	260	208	234	182	130
6	447	298	238	268	209	149
7	501	334	267	301	234	167
8	552	368	294	331	258	184
9	603	402	322	362	281	201
10	654	436	349	392	305	218
11	702	468	374	421	328	234
12	750	500	400	450	350	250
13	795	530	424	477	371	265
14	840	560	448	504	392	280
15	885	590	472	531	413	295
16	930	620	496	558	434	310
17	972	648	518	583	454	324
18	1017	678	542	610	475	339
19	1059	706	565	635	494	353
20	1098	732	586	659	512	366
25	1299	866	693	779	606	433
30	1491	994	795	895	696	497
35	1674	1116	893	1004	781	558
40	1848	1232	986	1109	862	616
45	2019	1346	1077	1211	942	673
50		1458	1166	1312	1021	729
55		1566	1253	1409	1096	783
60		1670	1336	1503	1169	835
65		1774	1419	1597	1242	887
70		1876	1501	1688	1313	938
75		1976	1581	1778	1383	988
80		2074	1659	1867	1452	1037
85		2170	1736	1953	1519	1085
90		2264	1811	2038	1585	1132
95		2358	1886	2122	1651	1179
100		2450	1960	2205	1715	1225

Chart courtesy of Animal Medical Center of Chicago

Diet Dog Food

There are multiple diet dog foods available that are effective for dogs that need to shed only a little amount of weight. However, if your dog has to lose a substantial amount of weight or has other medical concerns, these diets are frequently not as successful as veterinarian weight reduction programs.

Because not all weight reduction tactics work for every dog, there are a variety of diets to choose from. Some diet dog foods, like Purina Proplan OM and Royal Canin Calorie Control, are low carbohydrate, high protein, while others, like Royal Canin Satiety and Hills Prescription Diet w/d, are high in fiber which can help your dog feel full. Your veterinarian can direct you to a proper diet dog food based on your dog’s current health condition.

Increase Water Intake

Water fills up dogs just like it does for humans and they may turn to water when hungry. Keeping the dog bowl full of freshwater can help increase their hydration levels and reduce the feeling of hunger.

Increased Exercise

You should try and have vigorous exercise with y our dog two times every day, strive for fifteen minutes. It’s as easy as increasing the speed of your everyday stroll to help a dog lose weight and get back in shape. The typical speed of people walking with their dogs is 20 to 25 minutes per mile, which is considered a “stroll”. Walking for weight reduction is not the same as walking for fun. You should gradually raise your dog’s exercise level to assist them to lose weight. Begin by adding a few blocks to your daily and nightly walks, gradually increasing the pace and distance as you both get fitter.

If you personally have restricted mobility, consider a game like a fetch or hide-and-seek, which will get your dog moving while you stay relatively still. Hydration is just as important for dogs as it is for humans, so make sure your dog drinks enough water when exercising. If your dog is the one with mobility issues, consider swimming as a form of exercise. Hydrotherapy is a fantastic form of exercise that is light on the joints.

Reduce Unhealthy Treats

Dogs are often given numerous treats per day without the calorie count being counted towards their daily calorie intake. Certain treats contain a high amount of calories and those add up fast. If you want to give your dog treats or they are used to them for certain tasks, consider switching to fruits and vegetables. For picky eaters, you can soak them in bone or chicken broth overnight to encourage them.

Use Slow-Feeders or Interactive Food Puzzles

Skip the traditional dish and feed your pet with a slow feeder or puzzle/interactive toy to slow down their eating and make them feel full quickly. Adding water to their food is another strategy to slow down their eating.

How Can You Prevent Your Dog From Gaining Weight?

Ensuring that your dog is eating the correct amount of calories they need on a daily basis can help your dog from gaining unnecessary weight. If you’re unsure what that amount is, you can follow this equation:

RER in kcal/day = (ideal or target weight in kg ^ 0.75) x 70 OR 30 x (body weight in kg) +70

To determine your dog’s weight in kilograms, divide its weight in pounds by 2.2. So, a 10-pound dog weighs 4.5kg and a 50-pound dog weighs 22.7kg. ~ Pet Keen

You can also use a suggested calorie intake calculator for a more accurate measurement.

Posted on October 11, 2021January 24, 2022 by The CDPR Team — Leave a comment

Overcoming Obesity and Osteoarthritis in Dogs

Overview

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How is Osteoarthritis Related to Obesity in Dogs?

Because of their extremely distinct causes, osteoarthritis (OA) and obesity create diagnostic difficulties that are very difficult to overcome. In the early stages of OA, there are frequently no clear clinical symptoms. Overweight and obesity symptoms may be obvious, yet they are often ignored or disregarded as unimportant. In order to initiate diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative efforts that may otherwise be lost, obesity must be diagnosed.

Obesity in dogs significantly increases the risk of joint pain and damage in dogs thus leading to OA. Dogs who are either overweight or obese for a significant amount of time have traumatized their joints before any clinical signs of OA appear. The damage of OA takes years to even show up in diagnostic x-rays due to joint degradation.

While it’s always been believed that the OA formed from obesity was due to joint wear and tear, that’s recently been disproven. It is now believed that the fat tissue is physiologically active, secreting hormones and other substances that both cause and exacerbate inflammation, as we now know.

When fat cells release the hormone leptin, it infiltrates joints and promotes inflammation. Leptin may also play a role in the bone alterations linked with OA. Finally, inflammation can alter the body’s reactions to other hormones like cortisol and insulin, further disrupting the body’s attempts at self-regulation and affecting the amount and severity of pain dogs experience. The key takeaway is that fat causes inflammation, inflammation is a component of the pain associated with OA and degenerative joint disease, and being overweight or obese adds to the vicious cycle.

What is Osteoarthritis?

Canine Osteoarthritis affects both dogs and humans alike and is the most common form of arthritis affecting nearly a quarter of a million dogs worldwide at any given time. It is a progressive, chronic joint condition marked by the weakening of joint cartilage, thickening of the joint capsule, and the forming of new bone around the joint (osteophytosis), both of which contribute to pain and limb dysfunction.

What are the Signs of Osteoarthritis in Dogs?

Osteoarthritis can often be undetectable until it becomes severe. It’s important to know what to look for in OA, especially if your dog is prone to it. This includes overweight dogs and elderly dogs. Signs of OA in dogs include:

Irritability
Lethargy
Stiffness, lameness or limping
Reluctance or difficulty standing
Weight gain
Pain when touched
incontinence.

Your vet should be contacted if you think your dog is suffering from OA to start the next steps.

What are the Stages of Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis presents itself in four different stages.

Stage 1: The affected dog exhibits early symptoms which may be difficult to recognize. They are most prevalent in puppies who are still developing or young adults, and are often intermittent, lasting only a few seconds or minutes.

Stage 2: The affected dog continues to have intermittent symptoms which are termed the initial flare-ups.These warnings are sporadic, lasting only a few hours, and are simple for owners to reason and ignore. This stage is most common in puppies and young adult dogs.

Stage 3: The third stage consists of performance impairment in the affected dog. It’s easier for the owner to recognize this stage, which is marked by exercise intolerance and increasing loss of capacity to execute activities of daily living. This is a common stage in the development of adult dogs.

Stage 4: The affected dog experiences significant loss of mobility, strength and fitness. This state is the most difficult stage for the parent of the affected dog.

How is Obesity in Dogs Defined and Diagnosed?

Age, breed, neuter status, and whether dogs eat wet, homemade, or canned food as the main nutrition source, and “other” foods such as snacks or table scraps are all risk factors for obesity in dogs. At 9 to 12 months, dogs that were overweight were 1.5 times more likely to become obese adults. In the overweight and obese canine population, Golden retrievers, Rottweilers, pugs, and Labrador retrievers that are over-represented. Weight management should be taught to owners of dogs at risk for obesity and OA.

About 56 percent of dogs were clinically overweight or obese in 2018, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). In one long-term research study, overweight or obese dogs had a higher prevalence of OA than ideal-weight canines (83% compared to 50% ). Due to the results of this study, we may safely assume that many arthritic pets are overweight or obese, and vice versa. It’s not easy to manage these comorbid conditions.

Body weight and body condition score (BCS) are recorded at every examination as the first step in diagnosing overweight/obesity. The animal’s weight is not determined just by its body weight. This is a subjective assessment of an animal’s body fat that considers the animal’s frame size in addition to its weight, putting body weight in perspective for each patient’s frame size and weight.

If you are unsure if your dog is overweight or obese, you can check with a pet weight calculator or consult with your veterinarian.

What Are The Signs of Obesity in Dogs?

It should be fairly simple to notice if your dog is gaining weight but it could be harder in certain breeds, especially those who have a lot of fur. We can often start to see a dog gaining weight in their waistline or tuck. These are the common signs of obesity in dogs:

Waistline, ribs or spine not being visible anymore
Sagging
Lethargy
Reluctance to go for walks or walking slower
Unable to get in and out of cars or off tall surfaces
Larger, rounder face

What are the Risk Factors Associated with Obesity and Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis in dogs can be caused by age, breed, genetics, developmental orthopedic illness, trauma, and obesity, among others. In golden retrievers and Rottweilers, radiographic incidence of canine hip dysplasia, a primary cause of OA, has been recorded as high as 70%. Environmental variables such as nutrition and lifestyle can have a major impact on the prevalence and severity of OA related to canine hip dysplasia.

An obese dog is more likely to have cruciate ligament rupture, the most prevalent cause of OA in canines. Fat dogs are more likely to suffer a torn cruciate ligament than normal-weight dogs by a factor of 2 to 3.

As a result of lameness, overweight cats were three times more likely than optimal-weight cats to be brought to a veterinary facility. As a result of their obesity, obese cats were five times more likely to develop lameness, which required medical attention.

Obesity is the only risk factor for OA that can be controlled.

What is the Treatment for Obesity in Dogs?

For many pet owners, understanding the link between maintaining an ideal weight for their pet and reducing their pet’s risk of sickness may be a powerful incentive. The benefits of keeping a healthy weight are abundant and obvious. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential. As a result of the author’s observations, a high BCS is likely to have an adverse effect on a pet’s susceptibility for OA and the severity of the condition. Weight loss should be a primary treatment for overweight dogs with OA, rather than a secondary one.

Dogs have similar amounts of physical activity as their human owners. As an alternative to food rewards, owners should try to react with playtime or praise as a form of positive reinforcement. Exercise should be introduced to all overweight or obese individuals as soon as possible. Establishing an on-site obesity treatment center can assist in establishing individualized patient programs and promoting owner compliance with them.

What is the Treatment for Osteoarthritis in Dogs?

Physical Therapy

Unfortunately, the damage caused by OA is irreversible but treatment plans help reduce pain and improve quality of life. Certain treatments can be done at home such as helping your dog lose weight if they are overweight and keeping up with low impact exercises such as short walks. Your veterinarian may suggest regular appointments with a rehabilitation center (link to centers near you). Acupuncture, hydrotherapy, chiropractic, laser therapy, regenerative medicine, and medicinal massage are other alternative treatments that require seeing a specialist but luckily these options have become more common and are more available in most areas!

Supplements

On top of the treatment plan given by your vet, certain supplements may assist in the lessening of pain in your dogs. If your dog is predisposed to arthritis such as their breed or weight, your vet may suggest starting supplements before the onset of canine OA. Here are the top type of supplements to look for:

Glucosamine is the most common type of supplement for joint problems in dogs. It’s a naturally occurring compound in both human and animal’s bodies but the supplement helps keep up with cartilage health. It reduces pain and stiffness in arthritic joints by reducing inflammation, inhibiting cartilage loss, and improving cartilage repair.
Chondroitin is often given in combination with glucosamine and promotes water retention and elasticity in cartilage. It can be given by itself in which the dosing is the same as glucosamine.
Green Lipped Mussel (GLM) is a supplement taken from a mussel native to New Zealand. There isn’t too much information on GLM but omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory and joint-protecting properties, are found in it.
Hyaluronic Acid is a kind of sugar. It is a major component of synovial fluid, which helps to maintain joint viscosity, maintain joint lubrication, and absorb stress in joints.
Antioxidant vitamins C and E destroy free radicals, they help dogs move around more easily!
Glucosamine Acetylated can be for good joint structure and function.
Manganese is a vital nutrient, manganese is involved in various chemical reactions in the body, including the production of bones. To maintain bone and cartilage as well as collagen, manganese is essential in joints. Manganese is an essential component of cartilage and is essential for chondrocyte survival.

Nutrition

Nutrition has a role in controlling joint disease, just as it does with many other diseases. Nutrients can influence some of the underlying processes in arthritis. These include regulation of inflammation and cartilage repair, as well as antioxidant protection. A healthy diet can minimize or eliminate the need for traditional medicines, some of which have harmful side effects. Certain nutrients, whether supplied independently or as part of a diet focused at controlling OA, must be understood by veterinary nurses.

How Do You Overcome Obesity and Arthritis in Dogs?

Exercise and food are the two most important variables in avoiding and fighting obesity. Have a conversation with your veterinarian about changing your dog’s diet and exercise if you haven’t done so previously. Your pet’s exercise routine and food should be tailored to his or her lifestyle and life stage. Exercising modestly while consuming fewer calories is suggested for pets who are already overweight or obese and trying to lose weight.

There are also specialized diet foods for dogs which are made up of the appropriate nutrients and caloric levels for losing weight. A diet for your dog shouldn’t consist of just feeding them less of their normal food as they are missing out on certain nutrients. There are even diet dog foods that assist in reducing the inflammation of the joints that can be brought on by obesity. By assisting with the joint inflammation during the weight loss journey will make exercising easier on your dog.

In the end, working on your pet’s weight and their battle with arthritis shouldn’t be difficult and is also 100% preventable in most standard cases of obese dogs. The only times this may not be preventable may be due to a condition like thyroid disease in which dog’s should be on medication to help control their weight.

If you believe your dog should be on a diet, confirm with your veterinarian that they should lose weight and to work on a treatment plan with them in a way to effectively and safely help them lose weight.