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Fit club searches for obese dogs

Wed, 04 Jul 2007

A veterinary charity is searching for eight overweight dogs to take part in a slimming 2007 Pet Fit Club contest.

The PDSA charity said a variety of pets have been entered to take part in the initiative from large hamsters to rounded rabbits.

In total, the weight of 4,000 dogs was recorded from across the UK. Their analysis showed that the fattest dogs came from the north-east England, where 28 per cent were overweight.

Next was Scotland and Northern Ireland where dogs were 26 per cent of the dogs were obese .

Experts are warnings owners of obese dogs that their life expectancy will be reduced by two years if something isn’t done to help the dog lose weight. They are also more likely to develop conditions such as arthritis and diabetes .

Research by the charity shows that in the Midlands and Wales 19 per cent of the dogs were classed as obese whereas in the south-east the figure was 12 per cent.

The PDSA stated that even though the figures are lower in some areas, dogs should not suffer from obesity anyway and they want owners to slim their dogs down. However the charity did find a pattern of obesity in pets and owners.

The charity claims that around a quarter of UK dogs are obese .
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