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Pixabay.comHaving a pooch at home is one of the exciting things that can happen to you. But, it is also quite worrying at times.Like humans, canines are vulnerable to a number of diseases that can reduce their already short lifespan. Some of the most common conditions that can affect your dogโs health is bone cancer, diabetes, heartworm, and obesity. Among these obesities is the most worrisome. Obesity can quickly put your dog at a risk for developing a number of unmanageable health issues.Dogs, with their love for food are extremely prone to becoming obese. Loving owners find it hard to give in to their pleas for food and finally end up feeding their dogs way more than they should.But owners, take heed. Do not fall for their pleas. Like all of us, dogs need a balanced diet, a proper eating schedule, and lots of exercise in order to make sure that they live a healthy, disease free life.Here are some of the most surprising facts about obesity in dogs.
About 50 percent of the dogs in the U.S. are obeseThis is not very surprising. Dogs love food and they are capable of doing anything to get their owners to feed them over and over again. In addition, a number of owners depend on commercial dog food. Some brands of dog food contain unhealthy fats and other ingredients that can cause your dog to put on weight quickly.Add to this the fact that several owners do not take out their dogs for walks and the exercise they need. Combined, all these facts are responsible for obesity in dogs.
Human obesity is linked with pet obesity, according to studiesThis holds a grain of truth to it. Naturally, when an owner is obese and prone to over eating, he or she is likely to feed scraps and grains from their food to their dogs. If the owner is addicted to junk food, then it is highly likely that their dog is getting fed the same foods. Anything and everything that can lead to human obesity can cause your dog to become obese as well. So dog owners, eat healthy and keep your pet healthy.
Dogs find it harder to lose weight humansEach time a dog gains a pound, it is equivalent to a human gaining 5 pounds. It is easy to see why dogs find it much harder to lose weight than humans. On the other hand, when a dog starts to lose weight, although it is gradual, the change is significant.Many dog owners do not actually realize that their dogs are overweight or obese. This is rather dangerous since if obesity is not caught in the early stages, it becomes harder to treat.