In this blog I would like to talk about a problem that nobody really likes to discuss: dogs carrying extra pounds.
Many people don’t realize that a few extra kilos on their dog can cause more damage than they think. Obesity in older dogs isn’t just a matter of a slightly fuller figure; it can cause serious health problems, such as joint pain, heart disease, and even a shorter life expectancy. In this blog, I’ll explain why those extra pounds are so harmful, how to recognize if your dog is overweight, and what you can do to help them return to a healthy weight.
Why excess weight is a major problem for older dogs
Weight gain is a creeping danger. Dogs don’t become heavy overnight, and owners often get used to the extra weight. Moreover, obesity has become so common that it’s starting to seem almost normal. When you mainly see overweight dogs around you, it becomes harder to recognize it as such. But those extra kilos can make a huge difference to your dog’s health and wellbeing.
What are some of the problems that can arise?
Joint problems
Many older dogs already suffer from stiff joints or arthritis. Carrying excess weight puts even more pressure on the joints, worsening the symptoms. Every extra kilo (or ounce for the smaller dog means additional strain – it’s as if the dog is constantly carrying a too-heavy backpack. This can cause more pain and reduced mobility, making the dog less willing to move — creating a vicious cycle.
Heart problems
Being overweight also means extra work for the heart. A dog with obesity has a greater chance of high blood pressure and heart problems, especially if they’re already older. The heart has to pump harder to supply the body with oxygen and nutrients, which can lead to a weakened heart muscle or heart failure. Studies show that older dogs carrying too much weight have a 3-5 times greater risk of heart problems compared to peers with a healthy weight.
Diabetes
Obesity also increases the risk of diabetes in dogs. Fat tissue makes the body less sensitive to insulin, causing blood sugar levels to rise. This can lead to insulin resistance and eventually diabetes, a condition that requires lifelong treatment and regular monitoring.
Shorter life expectancy
Perhaps most shocking: research shows that dogs with excess weight live shorter lives on average than dogs at a healthy weight. A well-known Purina study showed that dogs who received 25% less food than their counterparts lived almost two years longer on average. Two more years with your dog — that’s an enormous difference.
Fat tissue is not passive
We used to think that fat tissue was a passive storage organ for extra energy and didn’t do much else. But it has since been shown that this isn’t true: fat tissue is an active organ that produces hormones and inflammatory substances. It produces hormones related to appetite regulation, which becomes disrupted, potentially causing a heavy dog to experience chronic hunger and beg more as body weight increases.
Additionally, fat tissue produces various substances that promote inflammatory processes in the body. This can lead to chronic low-grade inflammation. This happens in humans too, and we know it contributes to problems such as joint inflammation, allergies, heart disease, and even an increased risk of certain forms of cancer.
How do you know if your dog is carrying too much weight?
Many people don’t notice that their dog is overweight, especially if the weight increases slowly. Additionally, some dog breeds have thick or long coats, which can hide those extra pounds.
The first check is naturally the scale. It’s sensible to weigh your dog regularly, preferably always on the same scale because scales can differ quite a bit. But the number on the scale doesn’t tell the whole story!
Another way to assess your dog’s body condition is by both feeling and looking.
You can easily do this at home. The following three simple checks give a good picture:
- Feel the ribs
Place your hands on your dog’s chest, just behind the shoulders. You should be able to feel the ribs without pressing hard. You can compare the feeling to the knuckles of your hand when placed flat on a table. You can easily feel the bones, but with a layer of tissue over them. That’s what you want, that’s associated with a healthy weight. Are they hidden under a thick layer of fat? Then your dog is most likely carrying excess weight. - Look at the waist
Look at your dog from above. At a healthy weight, they should have a clear waist, a slight ‘indentation’ behind the ribs. Is the waist barely visible or completely absent? Then your dog is probably overweight. As mentioned, for dogs with thick or long coats, it’s important not only to look but also to feel for the waist. To do this, let your hands glide over the side of the ribcage toward the rear, and feel if there’s a noticeable waist just behind the ribs. - Check the abdominal line
Look at your dog from the side. From the deepest point of the chest, there should be an upward sloping line toward the hind legs. This is called a tucked-up abdomen. Is the abdominal line straight or even hanging downward? That’s a sign of obesity.
These three checks together give a good indication of whether your dog has a weight problem and to what degree.
What can you do if your dog has a weight issue?
It’s always a good idea to have a blood test done for a dog that is clearly carrying extra pounds to check if there’s nothing unusual. If the dog has a thyroid problem, for example, weight loss will be very difficult even with all the measures I’m about to discuss. For an otherwise healthy dog, you could approach it as follows:
Honestly look at treats and snacks
Unfortunately, it’s very easy to give more snacks than you realize. They can look at us with such sweet eyes… and we just love to spoil them! (I’m raising my hand here as well 😊)You could monitor yourself by, for example, writing down every snack and treat you give your dog for a day. Everyone who gives the dog something should do this, so that after one or a few days you have a picture of exactly how many and which treats are given.
Another useful method to gain insight into how many snacks your dog gets per day is to place an empty jar on the counter. Every time your dog gets something, put an identical snack in the jar. At the end of the day, you’ll see exactly how many extras they’ve received.
Weigh food instead of using measuring cups
Many people use a measuring cup to measure food, but research shows this is very inaccurate. A small difference per day can mean many extra calories in the long term. Therefore, always use a kitchen scale to measure the exact amount of food.
More exercise helps, but diet is more important
Exercise is good for health and helps maintain muscle mass, but it’s not the fastest way to shed excess weight. Compare it to humans: it takes much more effort to exercise away a bagel than to simply not eat it. Small adjustments in diet often make a bigger difference than extra exercise. And actually, that’s good news, because it’s not always easy to give an older dog with arthritis or other health problems more exercise in a responsible way. But we have a lot of control over the diet!
Special diet food if feeding less doesn’t work
Sometimes feeding less can work, but if you give less than 80-85% of the recommended amount, your dog may not get enough nutrients. In that case, special diet food can be a solution. This type of food contains fewer calories but all the essential nutrients, and helps dogs lose weight without constant hunger. That’s better for everyone, especially for the dog – being constantly hungry is really unpleasant. By switching to special diet food — temporarily or not — the dog can eat well and have a feeling of satiety.
Finally
Obesity is a common health problem in dogs, and unfortunately, it’s often underestimated. And it’s often not easy to help your dog achieve a healthy weight again. But with the knowledge that you may have your dog with you for years longer, a weight management plan is often easier to maintain. It’s for a good cause! And with a targeted approach, you can ensure that your dog not only becomes slimmer but also feels better and has fewer risks of various health problems.
If you would like to do something extra for your dog’s health and vitality? In my ebook Bowl Boosters: 10 Superfoods for dogs, you’ll discover how to improve your dog’s immunity and vitality with simple, healthy ingredients — without extra kilos. You can find the ebook here.
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