Obesity is the most common disease in dogs but, in addition, many other pathologies derive from it that threaten the health of our best four-legged friends. Overweight in a dog occurs when it does not follow a proper diet, for example, if it usually eats poor quality feed.
We must bear in mind that they are carnivorous animals and protein should be their main source of sustenance. However, today there are many feeds rich in carbohydrates such as cereals, causing a nutritional imbalance in the dog's body.
In addition to following a healthy and balanced diet, it is important that the canine lead an active lifestyle, exercising through walks and playing time, which are also essential for their emotional well-being. Likewise, conditions such as race, age, sex, certain pathologies or whether they have been sterilized influence the predisposition to develop overweight. Regardless of aesthetic criteria, this condition negatively affects their health, increasing the risk of suffering other diseases. Next, we review the most common ones.
Obesity alters insulin secretion and glucose metabolism in the body. As a result of this insulin resistance, the dog develops diabetes mellitus, a condition that considerably worsens the animal's quality of life. If he suffers from it, he will have to follow a strict diet and insulin injections will be necessary.
As with humans, being overweight favors the predisposition to suffer from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The heart rate increases as a result of the overexertion that the heart must make to pump blood throughout the body. You may also suffer from high blood pressure, intolerance to exertion and exercise, and problems breathing properly.
If the animal follows a diet rich in fat and develops obesity, the risk of suffering inflammation of the pancreas increases, being a problem with a serious prognosis.
Since the body has an accumulation of fat and weight, this overloads the joints, ligaments and bones of the animal. Consequently, he suffers osteoarticular problems, especially osteoarthritis. You may also suffer from soft tissue damage or orthopedic problems such as hip dysplasia. With this, the animal will feel pain and its quality of life will worsen. As a result of this inconvenience, it will actually be more difficult for the dog to perform physical activity, which would worsen its overweight.
