5 Obesity-Related Health Conditions in Dogs

Being obese is becoming normal for canines and even felines. Some people who see a healthy lean dog would often react or see it as too thin or unhealthy. Our pets would never wish to be overweight; should they turn into one, it’s the responsibility of fur parents to keep their weight in check and back to normal.

If you still consider your chubby dog cute, we’ll tackle why it’s not and why you must begin working on managing their weight immediately.

Why Dog Obesity Should Never Be Ignored

Though dogs never have to worry about other dogs and people teasing them at the park, being obese has been linked to many serious health conditions that can significantly affect their well-being. Below are five common diseases associated with dog obesity.

1. Cancer

Dog cancer is always connected to obesity. Obese pets are prone to numerous other health problems, but cancer is the most detrimental. Today, there have been no precise treatments to address cancer in canines, as many dogs diagnosed with cancer are expected to live shorter than their breed’s supposed life expectancy.

2. Heart and breathing conditions

Excessive weight in pets can cause high blood pressure and heart conditions and is frequently connected to breathing issues. Overweight dogs are vulnerable to laryngeal paralysis and a collapsing trachea. Left neglected, these airway-related conditions might lead to a severe respiratory crisis that can be deadly.

This is why you must always be consistent with your pet’s vaccinations and preventatives from facilities like Fine Animal Hospital. During each session, the vet can inspect your pet, evaluate its weight, and suggest actions to help prevent the onset of any conditions connected to canine obesity.

3. Joint degeneration

Weight problems can easily damage your pet’s joints, partially because of the burden of carrying extra weight. In addition, the excess weight their joints carry can break down the cartilage’s cushioning inside the joints. The moment dogs get arthritis, it can be hard to handle as the lack of cushion inside their joints might cause 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 permanent. This is why early prevention is always essential, especially if you’re slowly seeing your canine gain weight little by little. If you own a dog with arthritis, they may benefit from veterinary acupuncture services as it soothes pain and gives relaxation to their joints and bones.

4. Urinary tract or bladder disease

Uroliths, often called urinary bladder stones, are stone-like deposits that develop in animals’ bladders, including canines, mostly overweight ones. These stones can be excruciating and often lead to urinary tract infections. Bladder stones can obstruct urine flow and can be life-threatening when not dealt with by a veterinarian immediately.

So if you’ve read about the typical indications associated with bladder stones in dogs, do not delay their treatment. Immediately take them to a nearby vet diagnostics lab so the diagnosis and treatment can start right away.

5. Shortened life expectancy

Obese canines can not play enthusiastically like their healthy fellows, breathe normally, and live healthy lives. In addition, overweight dogs are usually irritable to feel pain, hotness, or uncomfortableness. Because of this, they are unlikely to fully live their anticipated lifespan than those maintained at a healthy weight.

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