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A recent survey has revealed that only 17% of U.S. pet parents believe their dog is overweight despite more than half of dogs in America being overweight or obese — and vets’ fears of telling them the truth might be a factor.
The survey, conducted in late 2023 by the Association for Pet Obesity also found that 84% of pet parents claimed their dog’s weight was healthy.
This is despite another study by APOP in 2023 that found 59% of dogs they evaluated were overweight or obese. This discrepancy is worrying, with obesity being arguably the biggest health threat to dogs.
The obvious explanations are that some pet parents are in denial of their dog’s weight issues, or simply don’t know how to judge if a dog is overweight.
The latter reason may be down to veterinarians being unwilling to discuss weight issues. Only 43% of dog parents said their vet discussed their dog’s weight or diet options during annual check-up appointments — the ideal time for vets to advise on and help with a pet’s weight.
One reason suggested for this lack of discussion is a fear among vets of upsetting dog parents; the survey also found that 84% of vets have had negative experiences after telling dog parents their dog was overweight, resulting in feelings of anger or embarrassment in parents.
Interestingly, these figures don’t match dog parents’ views, with only 12% saying they felt embarrassed when their vet advised them their dog should lose weight.
Head in the sand?
APOP Founder and President, Dr. Ernie Ward, said: “Over the past two decades, we have consistently observed a significant discrepancy between the prevalence of pet obesity and pet owners’ recognition of this issue.
“Pet owners reporting that ‘pet obesity is a problem, but not for my pet’ continues to be a communication hurdle for veterinary professionals. While the causes of obesity in animals are multifactorial, awareness of an unhealthy body condition is the first step in treating the disease.”
Treat time
In addition to this, there’s the ‘treat paradox’ — dog parents admit to giving too many treats to their canine companions, with 58% of dog parents admitting to offering their dog treats more than once a day.
Another interesting statistic is the number of dog parents who said they never shared their human food with their dogs (25%), and 33% claimed they rarely shared their food.
It’s crucial that pet parents understand the dangers of obesity in dogs. Not only will your dog be unable to take part in the activities they love, have less energy and struggle with things like climbing stairs if they’re overweight or obese, but also their health will be at risk.
There’s an increased risk of conditions such as diabetes, arthritis and cancer, as well as liver and heart disease, and research has shown that being just 10% overweight decreases your dog’s lifespan by 33%.
Final word
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