What happens if a dog gets too fat

This Dangerous Health Problem Happens to Dogs on a Fatty Diet

Youre cooking a big meal for your family filled with indulgent foods like a roasted turkey, buttered biscuits and decadent gravy. Your furry friend is underfoot in the kitchen, giving you their best puppy-dog eyes while they beg, and you cave. Giving your dog a healthy chunk of meat and flavorful skin cant hurt, right?

Unfortunately, its these kinds of situations that might land dogs in the emergency veterinarian with a dangerous health problem. Many pet parents are unaware of an issue called pancreatitisand how seemingly innocent gifts like the one above can cause it.

What is pancreatitis?

At the most basic level, pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. Although its well-known that inflammation can be dangerous for dogs in the long term, the inflammation caused by this condition can be life-threatening, and its not always easy to spot when it occurs.

The pancreas releases enzymes that help your dog digest food. These enzymes are only supposed to activate when they reach the small intestine, where the bulk of digestion occurs. Unfortunately, if the pancreas becomes inflamed, enzymes are prematurely released from the organ and activated, which leads to the digestion of the pancreas and its surrounding tissues. This process can significantly damage the pancreas and other organs in the abdomen and is usually very painful for the suffering pet.

Without prompt medical treatment, pancreatitis can cause severe organ damage, internal bleeding and even death.

Pancreatitis can either be acute or chronic. Acute pancreatitis comes on suddenly, is usually severe and can be life-threatening if its not caught and inflammation spreads to the surrounding organs. Chronic pancreatitis develops slowly over time and is usually characterized by persistent, low-grade inflammation. Chronic pancreatitis may flare up on occasion, causing more severe symptoms.

But what exactly leads to inflammation of the pancreas? As it turns out, quite a few things could be to blame.

One of the most common causes of pancreatitis in dogs is a fatty diet. The condition could be brought on by feeding your pup a high-fat diet for their daily meals. It might also be brought on if your dog normally eats a low-fat diet and suddenly gets a large serving of fatty food (like being fed table scraps or rummaging through the garbage). Fatty diets raise the amount of fat present in the blood, which can cause pancreatic inflammation. This risk factor is highest in overweight and inactive dogs.

Other things can also cause pancreatic inflammation, including obesity, trauma to the pancreas, hypothyroidism, Cushings disease, certain medications and toxins.

Additionally, because the pancreas is responsible for producing insulin, diabetic dogs may be at a higher risk for pancreatitis. However, damage to the pancreas because of pancreatitis may also increase your dogs risk of diabetes if they do not have the condition already.

Spotting and treating pancreatitis

Unfortunately, pancreatitis can look a lot like other, milder health problems in dogs because of their shared symptoms. The following symptoms are the most common:

• Hunched back or bowed posture
• Vomiting repeatedly
• Distended and painful abdomen
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Inappetence

The most telling symptoms are a painful belly and repeated vomiting. While your dog might vomit once after eating something that doesnt agree with them, multiple bouts of vomiting in a short time period combined with pain in the abdomen are pretty sure signs of pancreatitis.

If you notice signs of pancreatitis in your dog, its very important that you seek veterinary help as soon as possible to ensure your pets comfort and safety. Severe cases of the condition may require testing, IV fluids and monitoring to allow the inflammation to go down.

After immediate treatment, your dog may need long-term management to prevent reoccurrence of the problem, which is often high. This generally includes feeding your pup small meals throughout the day, rather than one or two large ones. Your dog will also need to be put on a strict low-fat dietand absolutely no table scraps should be given!

Dogs with severe or chronic pancreatitis may need to have their diet permanently alteredusually using a prescription ultra-low-fat foodto ensure their safety for the rest of their lives. In more mild cases, your dog may be able to return to their normal diet (if it is low enough in fat) after the condition has cleared.

Pancreatitis prevention

In many cases, pancreatitis is preventable by regulating your pups diet. These three things can go a long way in preventing pancreatic inflammation and the problems that come with it:

• No table scraps: Most dogs eat a diet with an appropriate amount of fat. However, this can cause problems if they suddenly find themselves with a high-fat meal or treat. For this reason, avoid feeding your dog any table scraps that are fatty, such as pieces of meat or foods with lots of butter.
• Feed a low-fat diet: Some store-bought pet foods have high levels of fat that could be detrimental to dogs who dont move much. Discuss your pet food options with your vet to determine whether your dog needs to be fed something with lower levels of fat to reduce their risk for obesity and pancreatitis.
• Maintain their weight: Obese pets have a much higher risk for pancreatitis than active, lean pets. Ensure your pet maintains a healthy weight by exercising with them frequently and potentially switching them to a weight-loss diet.

Prevention is a much better approach to pancreatitis than life-long management of this painful condition. So, ignore the puppy-dog eyes and give your dog a low-fat treat, insteadits good for their health!

Dog Obesity: Why Its Important To Manage Your Dogs Weight

Plump puppies may be cute, but when it comes to canine health, lean is better.

Still, as is true with humans, too many dogs are overweight, according to the Association For Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). In its eighth annual survey of the girth of American pets, released in March 2015, the organization found that 53 percent of the nations dogs are overweight.

International research suggests that this is a global problem, with surveys from various parts of the world showing that the incidence of canine obesity around 40 percent or more.Most investigators say that this health issue gets worse each year. Another part of the APOP survey showed that in 2014, 17.6 percent of dogs were clinically obese (30 percent or more overweight). That was up a full point from just one year before.

Courtesy of APOP

Even worse, 95 percent of owners dont realize that their plump dogs need to drop a few pounds. The APOP calls this a fat pet gap, in which a chubby dog is identified as normal.

Dr. Ernie Ward, veterinarian and founder of APOP says, Pet owners think their obese dog or cat is a normal weight, making confronting obesity difficult. No one wants to think their pet is overweight, and overcoming denial is our first battle.

Health Problems Caused By Dog Obesity

There are many diseases and conditions that come along with extra pounds. These include:

How to Tell If Your Dog Is Obese

The rules range for people, but for pets, figuring out whether your dog is overweight or obese is a matter of both appearance and touch. You should, for example, be able to feel your dogs ribs when you press her sides. Several dog-food manufacturers have canine body-condition charts that can help you determine if your dog needs to drop a few pounds. Heres an example:

What to Do If Your Dog Needs a Diet?

As with humans, there are a few tried-and-true methods for slimming down. First, you should check with your vet to make sure that the excess weight is not the result of an underlying health problem or disease. Also, before you changefood or reduce calories, youll want to get your dog a checkup and talk to your vet about the best options. After taking these steps, check out these helpful tips:

Measure Meals:Keeping a diary is one of the most important steps in any human weight-loss program. Since dogs cant write, youll have to do it for him. Keep track of how much kibble you are feeding by using a measuring cup.

Establish a Schedule:If you free-feed, leaving food down all day, offer meals on a set schedule. Put the food down for a certain time, perhaps 15 minutes, and take up any food that the dog does not eat.

Limit Between-Meal Snacks:Dogs get a lot of calories in addition to their regular kibble. These can include anything from training treats to a biscuit slipped over the fence by a friendly neighbor. Those calories add up. Find out where the extras are coming from and manage how many extra goodies the dog is getting.

Choose Low-Calorie Treats:Many store-bought treats, especially biscuits, can be fattening. The same goes for chews. Some dogs will be just as happy with fruits or vegetables, like bananas, carrots, green beans, and apple slices, for example.

Certain chews, such as the popular bully sticks, are higher in calories than most people believe. A recent study from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University examined the nutrients found in 26 different kinds of bully sticks. Each inch contained between 9 and 26 calories. While calorie information isnt currently required on pet treats or most pet foods, these findings reinforce that veterinarians and pet owners need to be aware of pet treats like these bully sticks as a source of calories in a dogs diet, Lisa M. Freeman, DVM, Ph.D., DACVN, professor of nutrition at TCSVM, said in a news release describing the study results. Several companies have developed low-calorie commercial treats. When you try any new treat, offer just a small portion to make sure it agrees with your dogs digestion.

Get Moving! This may be the best thing you can do to help your heavy hound. Before starting any exercise regime, have your dog checked by your veterinarian to make sure it is an appropriate and reasonable activity. Start slow and work up as directed by your vet to prevent possible injury.There are so many activities you and your dog can do together that its impossible to mention them all. Here are some of the best to start a weight-reducing program:

• Swimming is low-impact and can build muscles and burn calories without hurting joints.
• Walking, also low-impact, has the added benefit of getting both of you out of the house and into the fresh air.
• Fetch is fun, and its quick sprints will do a lot to raise fitness levels.

This Dangerous Health Problem Happens to Dogs on a Fatty Diet

Youre cooking a big meal for your family filled with indulgent foods like a roasted turkey, buttered biscuits and decadent gravy. Your furry friend is underfoot in the kitchen, giving you their best puppy-dog eyes while they beg, and you cave. Giving your dog a healthy chunk of meat and flavorful skin cant hurt, right?

Unfortunately, its these kinds of situations that might land dogs in the emergency veterinarian with a dangerous health problem. Many pet parents are unaware of an issue called pancreatitisand how seemingly innocent gifts like the one above can cause it.

What is pancreatitis?

At the most basic level, pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. Although its well-known that inflammation can be dangerous for dogs in the long term, the inflammation caused by this condition can be life-threatening, and its not always easy to spot when it occurs.

The pancreas releases enzymes that help your dog digest food. These enzymes are only supposed to activate when they reach the small intestine, where the bulk of digestion occurs. Unfortunately, if the pancreas becomes inflamed, enzymes are prematurely released from the organ and activated, which leads to the digestion of the pancreas and its surrounding tissues. This process can significantly damage the pancreas and other organs in the abdomen and is usually very painful for the suffering pet.

Without prompt medical treatment, pancreatitis can cause severe organ damage, internal bleeding and even death.

Pancreatitis can either be acute or chronic. Acute pancreatitis comes on suddenly, is usually severe and can be life-threatening if its not caught and inflammation spreads to the surrounding organs. Chronic pancreatitis develops slowly over time and is usually characterized by persistent, low-grade inflammation. Chronic pancreatitis may flare up on occasion, causing more severe symptoms.

But what exactly leads to inflammation of the pancreas? As it turns out, quite a few things could be to blame.

One of the most common causes of pancreatitis in dogs is a fatty diet. The condition could be brought on by feeding your pup a high-fat diet for their daily meals. It might also be brought on if your dog normally eats a low-fat diet and suddenly gets a large serving of fatty food (like being fed table scraps or rummaging through the garbage). Fatty diets raise the amount of fat present in the blood, which can cause pancreatic inflammation. This risk factor is highest in overweight and inactive dogs.

Other things can also cause pancreatic inflammation, including obesity, trauma to the pancreas, hypothyroidism, Cushings disease, certain medications and toxins.

Additionally, because the pancreas is responsible for producing insulin, diabetic dogs may be at a higher risk for pancreatitis. However, damage to the pancreas because of pancreatitis may also increase your dogs risk of diabetes if they do not have the condition already.

Spotting and treating pancreatitis

Unfortunately, pancreatitis can look a lot like other, milder health problems in dogs because of their shared symptoms. The following symptoms are the most common:

• Hunched back or bowed posture
• Vomiting repeatedly
• Distended and painful abdomen
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Inappetence

The most telling symptoms are a painful belly and repeated vomiting. While your dog might vomit once after eating something that doesnt agree with them, multiple bouts of vomiting in a short time period combined with pain in the abdomen are pretty sure signs of pancreatitis.

If you notice signs of pancreatitis in your dog, its very important that you seek veterinary help as soon as possible to ensure your pets comfort and safety. Severe cases of the condition may require testing, IV fluids and monitoring to allow the inflammation to go down.

After immediate treatment, your dog may need long-term management to prevent reoccurrence of the problem, which is often high. This generally includes feeding your pup small meals throughout the day, rather than one or two large ones. Your dog will also need to be put on a strict low-fat dietand absolutely no table scraps should be given!

Dogs with severe or chronic pancreatitis may need to have their diet permanently alteredusually using a prescription ultra-low-fat foodto ensure their safety for the rest of their lives. In more mild cases, your dog may be able to return to their normal diet (if it is low enough in fat) after the condition has cleared.

Pancreatitis prevention

In many cases, pancreatitis is preventable by regulating your pups diet. These three things can go a long way in preventing pancreatic inflammation and the problems that come with it:

• No table scraps: Most dogs eat a diet with an appropriate amount of fat. However, this can cause problems if they suddenly find themselves with a high-fat meal or treat. For this reason, avoid feeding your dog any table scraps that are fatty, such as pieces of meat or foods with lots of butter.
• Feed a low-fat diet: Some store-bought pet foods have high levels of fat that could be detrimental to dogs who dont move much. Discuss your pet food options with your vet to determine whether your dog needs to be fed something with lower levels of fat to reduce their risk for obesity and pancreatitis.
• Maintain their weight: Obese pets have a much higher risk for pancreatitis than active, lean pets. Ensure your pet maintains a healthy weight by exercising with them frequently and potentially switching them to a weight-loss diet.

Prevention is a much better approach to pancreatitis than life-long management of this painful condition. So, ignore the puppy-dog eyes and give your dog a low-fat treat, insteadits good for their health!