Leo the Australian Shepherd: Obesity Matters In Dogs Too
Obesity in dogs is a rampant and on-going problem. It is a nutritional disease that is defined by an excess of body fat. A 2018 survey by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) revealed that 56% of pet dogs in the US are overweight.
Canine obesity is associated with several major health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. Maintaining a healthy body weight can offer significant benefits to your dog’s overall quality of life. In North America, obesity is the most common preventable disease in dogs.
The Story of Leo
Leo, short for Leonidas, is an Australian Shepherd originally from South Dakota. He’s 9 years old and has struggled with being overweight since he was around 3. Although it makes him incredibly cute and chubby, it has created some major health problems for him.
Shortly after he was fixed, his owner began to notice him plumping up. He never was super active, which further contributed to his plumping. It became a bit of a catch 22—a difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.
As he grew to be overweight, Leo wanted to move less and less. This led him directly to being more anxious and increasingly plump. Although he eats less than the other dogs that his owner has and he still went on daily walks, it never seemed like enough.
Leo unfortunately now has arthritis in his shoulder and hip. This requires him to be on pain medication that messes with his stomach and he doesn’t like to take them. This medication also requires him to have bloodwork regularly done to make sure that it isn’t affecting his kidneys.
Many issues with dogs can be helped by exercise, especially anxiety. Since Leo doesn’t want to run, it becomes difficult to tire him out, his anxiety increases, and his ability to exercise decreases.
A Common Thread
Obesity and overweight dogs are very common. Any dog at any age can become obese, but the condition is most commonly seen in middle-aged dogs between the ages of 5 and 10. Neutered and indoor dogs tend to also have a higher risk of becoming obese.
Obesity is generally caused by imbalanced caloric intake. Obesity also becomes more common in old age because of the normal decrease in a dog's ability to exercise, due to arthritis and/or other conditions. Offering high-calorie foods, frequent treats and table scraps can also exacerbate this condition.
Other common causes include:
Hypothyroidism
Insulinoma
Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s Disease)
Neutering
Obesity Care and Telehealth
Through Telehealth tools and health tracking technology, owners and veterinarians can be alerted to early signs of weight gain, lack of exercise, and even diet change. Telehealth tools and technology can also be used to track treatment and recovery from obesity.
Follow-up treatment for obesity includes communicating regularly with your veterinarian, monitoring your dog's weight monthly, and establishing a long-term weight-maintenance program. Telehealth can be the connecting piece to the alert of pre-overweight dogs, establish care plans, and maintain communication between owners and vets.
