Overweight and/or Diabetic

As few as five pounds above the ideal body weight can put your dog at risk for developing some serious medical conditions. Unfortunately, when a dog is overweight or obese it no longer is a question of if your dog will develop a condition secondary to the excess weight but how soon and how serious. Some of the common disorders associated with excess weight include:

• diabetes
• heart disease and respiratory disease
  
• osteoarthritis (arthritis)
• increased frequency of joint injuries
• high blood pressure
• some forms of cancer - especially intra-abdominal cancers

Overweight and obese dogs usually have shorter lives than their fitter, normal weight counterparts. Heavy dogs tend to physically interact less with their families and are less energetic and playful.

There is good evidence that dogs who are a healthy weight live significantly longer than dogs who are overweight. This section provides dietary options that work in different ways to help your dog get to a healthier body condition score. Some of these diets work via their ingredients ie. are high protein, low carbohydrate, others work to increase satiety with added fibre, while still others use specific nutrients that can promote increased metabolism, helping dogs burn calories more quickly.