Causes of Canine Obesity

Even though canine obesity is one of the most critical canine health problems, many pet owners do not even realize their dogs are overweight.  Canine obesity can contribute to other diseases and health disorders, as well as, reducing a dog’s lifespan.     

Canine obesity can occur due to a variety of reasons, with the most obvious resulting from a poor diet and lack of adequate exercise.  Medical conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome, hypothyroidism, and hormonal disorders lead to obesity, although they account for only a small number of obesity cases.  

Allowing access to food (“free choice”) twenty-four hours a day, rather than set meal times can rapidly lead to increased weight.  Home-cooked meals, table scraps, and high-calorie treats can also lead to excess weight gain.

Genetic factors in some pure breed dogs cause them to be predisposed to obesity.  Weight issues can be found among breeds such as Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, English Bulldogs, Dachshunds, and Labrador Retrievers.

As dogs age, their metabolic rate decreases leading to an increase in weight gain.  If an older dog’s caloric intake remains the same as it did when it was younger, a weight increase will soon be seen.  This problem is more commonly experienced by female dogs than males.