Obesity is a continuing problem for pets, with overweight and obese rates going up in spite of more education from veterinarians, weight-specific pet food formulations and a number of technologies designed to track a pet’s activity.
Pet obesity by the numbers
A 2022 U.S. Pet Obesity Prevalence Survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity (APOP) determined that 61% of cats and 59% of dogs in the U.S. are overweight of have obesity. Similarly, UK Pet Food’s 2024 UK Pet Obesity Report found that 43% of cats and 50% of dogs in the UK are overweight (versus 40% and 45%, respectively, in 2014). Worse yet, obesity is apparently a growing problem for all pets, not just cats and dogs, with the UK survey finding that 31% of small mammals are overweight (versus 28% in 2014) and 9% of birds are overweight.
What’s the biggest cause for this? While fingers can reasonably be pointed at overfeeding and lack of exercise, there is a secondary factor behind the extra food and treats being given to animals: Their owners simply don’t notice that their pet is overweight. A winter 2023 survey conducted by APOP among pet owners and veterinary professionals revealed that only 28% of cat owners and 17% of dog owners are willing to acknowledge that their pets are overweight, with a confounding 84% of dog owners and 70% of cat owners assessing their pets’ body condition as healthy.
“Over the past two decades, we have consistently observed a significant discrepancy between the prevalence of pet obesity and pet owners’ recognition of this issue,” said APOP Founder and President Dr. Ernie Ward in the report. “Pet owners reporting that ‘pet obesity is a problem, but not for my pet’ continues to be a communication hurdle for veterinary professionals. While the causes of obesity in animals are multifactorial, awareness of an unhealthy body condition is the first step in treating the disease.”
The awareness gap is all too real. A 2024 survey conducted by pet food company Ollie said that only 30% of pet owners realize that being able to easily feel their dog’s ribs is a sign of a healthy weight. Even fewer know about other indicators like the spine (20%) and hip bones (17%). Additionally, four in 10 pet owners are sensitive about others commenting on their dog’s weight. At the same time, according to the survey, 53% of respondents recognize that their dog’s weight has a significant impact on their health which another 35% acknowledge that it has “some” impact.
The dangers of pet obesity
It’s not difficult to come up with the potential side effects and dangers of pet obesity, as most of them have echoes in human health.
Research from the WALTHAM Center for Pet Nutrition and the University of Liverpool using data from pets treated at Banfield Pet Hospitals in North America between 1994 and 2015 showed that pet obesity can cause a reduced lifespan among pet dogs — up to 2.5 years, depending on the breed and sex of the dog. Male Yorkshire Terriers seemed to get the worst of it, with a reduction of 2.5 years. Male and female Dachshunds saw an average reduction in lifespan of 2.3 years. Larger breeds, such as German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers saw 0.4–0.6-year reductions in lifespan, according to the gathered data.
There are also the increased disease risks associated with pet obesity, such as diabetes mellitus, heart disease and several types of cancer. There’s the increased risk of joint damage, which can lead to osteoarthritis and chronic pain. In fact, there may be a one-two punch when it comes to extra fat and joint pain.
“Until recently, veterinarians thought that the increased pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in overweight and obese dogs was primarily due to increased wear and tear on the joints,” said several veterinarians in an overview on “Overweight, Obesity and Pain in Dogs,” published on the VCA Animal Hospitals website. “We now know fat tissue is biologically active, and it secretes hormones and other chemicals that cause inflammation. Fat cells produce a hormone called leptin, which causes inflammation when it enters joints. Leptin may also influence bone changes associated with osteoarthritis. In addition, inflammation can affect the body’s responses to other hormones, such as cortisol and insulin, further unbalancing the body’s attempts at self-regulation and influencing the amount and extent of pain a dog may experience.”
Efforts in the pet food industry to mitigate pet obesity
The pet food industry has long taken the heat for causing pets to be overweight, with recent years showing a sharing of that responsibility with the pet owners who are ultimately responsible for feeding their pets properly. But it’s well recognized that feeding labels can be confusing for consumers, most pet owners don’t really understand how much of a caloric impact a treat or two a day can have on a pet’s diet, and pets’ energy needs vary by everything from breed to life stage.
In response to this, the pet food industry is doing its best to provide options for pet owners who need their animals to lose weight. A search on Chewy.com for “weight management” will pop up dozens of pet foods, treats and supplements aiming for “perfect weight” or “low fat” or “overweight management.” Be it over the counter or through a veterinary prescription, the options are abundant, often paired with other, related functional claims such as joint health.
Veterinarians are doing their best with sometimes limited nutrition knowledge and clients reluctant to see the truth about the fluffiness of Fluffy. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the overarching advice is to reduce calorie intake while increasing activity level to burn more calories, with the acknowledgment that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Food-wise, the general advice is to avoid feeding “people food” (AKA table scraps), limit treats to less than 10% of a pet’s daily calorie needs and understand how to adjust food against those treated calories.
Pet obesity isn’t an easily fixed problem any more than human obesity is — the solution seems to be more education, and often, for all parties involved, as well as a steadfast commitment to ensuring pets live the longest, healthiest lives they can. The latter, at least, everyone seems to be on the same page about.