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Health Risks to Overweight Dogs |
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Written by MyPetFriends
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Friday, 30 July 2010 |
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 A recent study by pet charity the PDSA has highlighted the growing trend of obesity in pet dogs. The increase in obesity is higher than that seen in humans, with an estimated third of all UK dogs now classified as obese.
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There are more than 3.5 million overweight dogs in Britain, according to the four year PDSA study, this figure is up from 2005 when 1 in 5 dogs were classified overweight. Obese cats are also on the rise, with 1 in 4 overweight. Various factors believed to have contributed to this trend are a lack of exercise and being fed too many treats and snacks. If this trend is to continue, it is estimated that by 2013 1 in 2 dogs will be overweight, a worrying statistics given the risks that obesity will bring.
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Healthy Pets Chief Executive, Mark Effenberg comments “obesity can cause several health issues for dogs including diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. It is important to build up the exercise so that your dog can adjust to a new regime. The right diet and regular exercise can significantly reduce the health risks associated with pet obesity”.
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The PDSA suggest speaking with your vet to determine what the right shape for your dog should be, as a dogs shape is evident of how much fat the dog is storing. Some owners fear coming forward to seek advice incase they are prosecuted for pet obesity; however prosecution remains very rare and is usually resulted from an owner ignoring advice from their vet over a period of time.
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Since 1997, Healthy Pets Insurance has remained independent and specialist choosing to trade on the trust of its policyholders to gain one of the highest renewal rates in the industry.
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Healthy Pets Ltd can be contacted online at www.healthy-pets.co.uk. -
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