By Dr Jeannie Thomason
(Part 2 in a two part series on dog obesity.)

The health risks to overweight dogs are serious and every dog owner should be aware of them.

Damage to joints, bones, and ligaments

Older Studies suggested that 25% of overweight dogs develop serious joint complications. If the joints and bones are required to carry excess weight, they usually start to become damaged. Arthritis can develop and the joint changes and pain associated with hip dysplasia can become markedly more severe as well. Extra tension on joints caused by an increased weight load can also lead to the damage of certain ligaments. One of the ligaments in the knee, known as the anterior cruciate ligament, is very prone to strains and tears. If this ligament is torn, the knee becomes very unstable and the dog will be reluctant to use it. Usually Surgery is required to repair this torn ligament.

Dogs carrying extra pounds of weight place extra demands on virtually all the organs of their bodies. When the body organs are overloaded, disease and sometimes death are the consequences.

Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes)

One of the most common complications of obesity in dogs is the development of diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes). Being over weight causes an increase in the secretion of insulin in response to the increased blood glucose level in the overweight dog. Insulin is also more in demand simply because there is a greater amount of body tissue in an overweight dog. When requirements for insulin exceed the ability of the body to produce insulin, diabetes mellitus develops. If the need for insulin increases over a long period of time, the cells in the pancreas which produce insulin can actually ‘burn out,’ again resulting in diabetes.

Heart disease and increased blood pressure

Something new to dogs in the last 30 some odd years is hypertension. Just as in humans, excess weight tends to cause increased blood pressure (hypertension). The heart obviously has an increased work-load since it must pump additional blood to excess tissues. This can lead to congestive heart failure.

Difficulty breathing

In overweight animals, the lungs are not able to function properly. The additional fat in the chest restricts the expansion of the lungs. The extra fat in the abdomen pushes against the diaphragm, which separates the abdominal cavity from the chest. This also results in less space in the chest for the lungs to expand on inspiration. To make matters worse, the increased quantity of tissue puts an increased demand on the lungs to supply oxygen.

Decreased stamina

Dogs who are overweight have less endurance and stamina. Carrying all that extra weight around takes a lot more work. The heart, muscles, and respiratory system are all asked to do more than they were designed for.

Decreased liver function

The liver stores fat so when a dog is overweight, an increased amount of fat of course, builds up in the liver. This is called hepatic lipidosis. This condition can result in decreased liver function.

Increased surgical and anesthetic risk

We talked about effects of excess weight on the heart and lungs above however, the effects on the heart and lungs have serious ramifications if the dog has to have anesthesia. Cardiac arrest (heart stops) and poor circulation of oxygenated blood to the tissues can occur. Most anesthetics are taken up by fat, so an overweight animal will take longer to come out of anesthesia because the anesthetic must be removed from the fat by the body. In addition and important to know is that most anesthetics are broken down by the liver. A fatty liver will not be as efficient at breaking down anesthetics and other drugs, so again, recovery may be delayed or even death may occur.

The increased fat in the tissues makes surgery its self more difficult. It is harder to find or get at what you are looking for in the body for all the fat. For example, abdominal surgery in an obese dog, there may be literally inches of fat between where the skin incision is made and the organ you need to work on is situated, such as the urinary bladder. So not only is the surgery now more technically difficult but the procedure will take longer then usual, which again increases the anesthetic risk.

Digestive disorders

An overweight dog has an increased risk of developing constipation and may also have more problems with intestinal gas.

Decreased immune function

Obesity in dogs is directly associated with decreased resistance to viral and bacterial infections. Canine distemper and Salmonella infections, especially appear to be more severe in dogs who are overweight.

Skin and hair coat problems

The risk of skin and hair coat diseases are increased in dogs who are overweight. The skin forms more and different types of oils, the skin may fold in on itself creating pockets, which are ideal for the accumulation of oils and the development of infections.

Increased risk of cancer

Studies suggest that obese dogs tend to have an increased risk of developing certain types of cancers, including a particular type of cancer of the urinary bladder. A recent study also found that dogs who were obese at one year of age were at greater risk of developing mammary tumors.

Decreased quality and length of life

It should be evident from the above discussion that the over-all health, ability to play, even to breathe, are diminished in overweight dogs. Overweight dogs often become more irritable due to being hot, in pain, or simply uncomfortable. Overweight dogs die at a younger age than those maintained at an optimum weight.

I hope I helped to make it clear that we are not contributing positively to our dog’s health when we allow them to become overweight.

Help Is on the Way

If your dog is already a bit pudgy, don’t despair, while helping your dog to lose a little weight is not as simple or convenient as feeding a kibble prescribed for over-weight dogs, it is not a hopeless endeavor either. If you should decide to commit yourself to helping your dog lose weight then it is best to adopt a holistic approach to the weight loss. You will need to monitor everything from the amount of exercise, the type of food and treats fed to the amount of food and treats, he or she actually partakes in on a daily basis. Be upbeat and positive about the weight loss around your dog. If you are depressed and feel sorry for your dog because you have cut back on the amount of food you are feeding or because the dog appears to prefer napping to walking, your dog will will pick up on those feelings and emotions and react accordingly.

Exercise is a must! There is no way around this. The more muscle mass an animal has, the more calories the animal burns while inactive. Start with short periods of exercise and depending on the age and health of your dog, decide whether to start with short walks or a game of catch. What ever you start out with, be consistent and do it daily. If you have access to a swimming pool your dog can use, this is one of the best ways to exercise your dog, especially if he/she is already effected by joint problems. Increase the time and/or distance every couple of days and do as much exercise as possible out of doors in the sunshine and fresh air.

Take everything into consideration in order to make weight loss successful for your cherished pet. We’re not looking for fast weight loss, because, as with humans, fast weight loss does not always mean the weight will stay off. Fast weight loss and weight gain traumatizes the body. Animals should loose no more than 1-2% of their body weight per week. For instance, if your dog weighs 50 pounds, 1% is 1/2 pound weekly and 2% means 1 pound weekly.

If your dog is not already presenting with ailments or diseases relating to his extra pounds, consider beginning a preventative lifestyle for him/her. Feed a raw, species appropriate diet. At the very least, throw away the kibble and canned food and lightly cook for your dog. Supplement with digestive enzymes, probiotics and natural sources Omega 3 fatty acids.

Make sure you are giving fresh, filtered water to your dog. If you don’t drink your tap water then don’t give it to your dog.

Let’s not “kill” our dogs with what we may consider kindness by giving them that extra little treat when they look at you with those big brown eyes or letting them skip the walk today because they look so content and happy napping on the couch. Love them by gifting them good health and long life with a proper diet, exercise and companionship.

By Dr Jeannie Thomason
(Part 1 in a two part series on dog obesity.)

Obesity is one of the common diseases of Older (Senior, Geriatric) dogs. Fortunately, it is not only preventable but with commitment on the part of the dog owner, it is reversible as well.

It’s often difficult for pet owners to recognize that their dogs are in fact overweight and not just well fed and happy. One reason we don’t often notice obesity in our pets is because of our perception of obesity in ourselves as humans. By human standards, an obese person is someone significantly over-weight, not just someone who has gone up one size in their pants. However, with our dogs, the term obese is used for pets with any excessive accumulation of fat in the stomach and the waist. An animal that is 15-20% overweight is considered obese. As in humans, an obese animal is not healthy and is highly vulnerable to many types of health problems The metabolism of an overweight pet can no longer support a healthy heart, joints (over 40% of older dogs have joint problems), liver, lungs or normal blood sugar. Obese dogs have less heat intolerance and are often poor candidates for surgery should it be needed.

Why Our Dogs Gain Weight

Puppies burn more calories than adults because they are using every last drop of nutrients to build their bodies. Spayed and neutered animals use less enegry/burn less calories as intact animals do since the heart does not have to pump blood to the reproductive organs anymore. Mature animals, neutered animals do not require as much food/calories so cutting back a bit on the daily meals alone can be of help in keeping off the extra weight.

As our animals grow older, we must make a concerted effort to make sure they are still getting ample exercise. So much the case today, many families have both adults working most of the day so our dogs are left home alone to lounge around and nap. In the wild, dogs have to work and exert energy to catch their food, thus keeping in balance the consumption and the burning of calories. However, our dogs don’t have to do much to get food. Therefore, they run the risk of consuming more calories than they’re burning, which just like in humans, leads to gradual weight gain.

Furthermore, dogs are genetically made to save fat for energy. When wolves’ feeding behavior has been studied, it has been found that that wolves don’t always eat daily in fact rarely do they eat daily. They don’t need to eat daily because their physiology is such that extra nutrients are converted to fat to be used later. Our dogs are descendants of wolves and/or other wild canids. What is happening with our pet dogs is that in short, we are feeding our pets too much food and they are getting very little to no real exercise to balance things out. Their bodies just keep storing more and more fat until obesity becomes a reality.

Feeding The Wrong Foods

The multi-billion dollar pet food industry has done harm to our dog’s health and made billions of dollars off uneducated pet owners who only want the very best for their dogs. *This is another article in its self so I’ll keep it brief and say here and now that processed, commercial pet food is killing our pets. It is not just the poor quality, cheap foods either because it really does not matter what quality ingredients you begin with, it all ends up the same way – dead, no nutritive value. Then, since there truly is no nutrition left in the end product, synthetic vitamins are sprayed on the to diets just prior to sealing the bags. These synthetic vitamins are not molecularly/nutritionally equal to the natural source vitamins found in raw food sources nor are they readily absorbed by the dog’s body.
* Please read my article: Kibble is kibble is still kibble for more information.

When our dogs are fed processed/over-cooked foods that their digestive systems were never designed to eat/digest in the first place is that the body is forced to raid its own dwindling supply of nutrient reserves and enzymes which in turn, causes the body to remain hungry for true, quality nutrients. This of course, leads to hunger pangs for the dog even though the stomach is full. The result is chronic hunger and begging for more food. This leads to chronic overeating and of course the excessive weight and the rampant obesity seen in our dogs today.

Stay tuned for Part 2: Health Risks Associated With Obesity

About Dr. Jeannie Thomason:
Dr. Jeannie Thomason, Veterinary naturopath, certified small animal nutritionist, is co-host of the popular online radio show, Animal Talk Naturally. Her articles have been featured in various publications such as Animal Wellness, Dog Fancy, Coast 2 Coast (national breed magazine for the Boston Terrier) and Natural Horse magazine. She is available for consultations on natural canine care & nutrition at her Website – The Whole Dog .

Copyright ©2009. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the Author. This article is for educational purposes only. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader.

Guest post written by: Cara Gardner DVM, CVA

Broad Ripple Animal Wellness Center | @holisticpetdr

Supplements are a great way to help keep your senior dogs (and cats) happy, healthy and aging well. It can be a very difficult process however to wade through the plethora of information out there to find the best and safest options for your pet. Here, I will briefly talk about some supplemental recommendations and some additions to your pet’s diet that will really help add comfort and longevity to his or her life.

1. Antioxidants- A very important supplement that all dogs (and cats) will benefit from as they age. Antioxidants are molecules that circulate in the blood stream and combat debris that is left in the body after any inflammatory process has occurred. This is important for long term health and comfort because this debris can cause damage to other organs and body systems if allowed to circulate and come in contact with other tissues. Arthritis in any joint, muscle pain and soreness, liver or kidney disease, asthma, heart disease… and the list goes on and on, are all inflammatory conditions that leave behind this debris. Most antioxidants contain a mixture of vitamins A, C, E, and selenium. Others are more specific and contain only a few ingredients like CoQ - 10 (or coenzyme Q 10) which has been found to be extremely beneficial in humans to help combat the damage of heart disease.

The Honest Kitchen makes a wonderful organic and holistic antioxidant formulation that I recommend to all of my patients called Invigor. It contains a combination of ingredients that are high in antioxidant power with high levels of vitamins A, C, E, and selenium. Check out www.thehonestkitchen.com for more details and to find out where to purchase their products.

RxVitamins has a CoQ10 product specific for pets that is a wonderful supplement I recommend for dogs with heart disease, kidney disease or arthritis problems. see www.rxvitamins.com/pet/ for more.

2. Essential Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids- A naturally occurring anti-inflammatory that soothes any inflammatory condition in the body. These fatty acids or oils, work by interfering with what is called the inflammatory cascade. They slightly change the body’s immediate response to damage and help soothe the pain and discomfort that usually comes along with inflammation like arthritis. They have been found also to help reduce the risk of heart disease in people due their high antioxidant power! These wonderfully naturally occurring molecules can be found in a number of dietary sources like prepared salmon or sardines, soy beans, tofu and many other nuts and legumes. For dogs however, the best source, if not found in food like Royal Canin’s Skin Support Diet, or Eagle Pack’s Holistic Select Anchovy, Sardine and Salmon dry dog food is a supplemental and very tasty oil put directly on the food such as NuHemp’s Omega Sauce for pets found at www.nuhemp.com or Welactin found at www.nutamaxlabs.com

3. Fiber- Fiber is something of which we all need more! Fiber helps pets regulate their Gi tracts by helping to lubricate the inside of the large intestine. This helps stool to move more easily through the tract so that the waste material from food does not sit as long in the large bowel itself which can cause damage, and allows for less material left within the tract that can potentially cause damage over time. Fiber also helps to regulate blood sugar and curb extreme fluctuations in appetite. Since 80% of the immune system is found in the GI tract, a healthier intestine leads to a healthier pet! An excellent supplement for dogs and cats is The Honest Kitchen’s Perfect Form which combines a number of high fiber natural ingredients to give your pet a healthy and organic fiber supplement option. (see their website above)

4. Probiotics- This is a supplement that will also help keep the GI tract happy and healthy. These little good bacterial compounds help to regulate digestion and keep the numbers of “good” bacteria in the gut up and the numbers of “bad” or unhealthy bacteria down. This regulation will help the body to better break down and therefore absorb much needed nutrients from food. As we age on the outside, our bodies age internally as well, including the GI tract. As it ages it has more difficulty getting all of the beneficial products from the food we eat. To help our pets stay healthy, regular and nutritionally balanced, good digestion is key. These are best offered in powdered food supplements like Total Biotics for pets, www.totalzymes.com or in the food itself. This can be done by a number or processes, but The Honest Kitchen carries dehydrated raw diets (never cooked above 119 degrees F) that contain these essential nutrients to aid in digestion. (see website info above)

Lastly, I would like to advocate the use of whole clove or minced garlic for its antioxidant, prodigestive and anti-inflammatory effects. There is quite a bit of dated information about the use of garlic in dogs and it’s potential negative effects on their health. There is very little clinical or study information that support this claim. When garlic is given to dogs in measured and reasonable amounts, it is very safe. One medium sized clove per 40 pounds once daily has wonderful beneficial effects for dogs with chronic diseases like arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease or cancer. I strongly recommend the use of garlic with almost all of my patients because it is a healthy and all natural way to support immune function, cardiovascular health and digestion.

Hopefully this has been a helpful introduction to the 4 most important supplements for your aging canine companions. For more information feel free to visit the sites above, or below or contact me directly with questions.

About Cara Gardner, DVM, CVA:

Dr. Gardner received her DVM from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Originally from Knoxville, TN, Dr. Gardner received a bachelor of arts and science in 1999 from Xavier University in Cincinnati, majoring in Natural Sciences and minoring in Women and Minority Studies. While there she was vice president of the collegiate soccer club team, attended the School for Field Studies Marine Park Management Program in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and was a veterinary assistant at a local clinic. She graduated with the class of 2003 form the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine and has a strong interest in brachiocephalic (or ’smush-faced’) breeds, dermatology, behavior, nutrition, and integrative alternative medicine. She completed a dermatology externship with Dr. Terry Grieshaber at the Animal Allergy and Skin Disease Clinic (now Circle City Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital) and has obtained her Certification in Veterinary Acupuncture through the Chi Institute for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine.

Broad Ripple Animal Wellness Center | @holisticpetdr

Written by: Dr. Jeannie Thomason

Did you know that the maximum life span of our dogs should be 25 - 30 years?

Our precious dogs! They love us unconditionally through out our lives together. There are the new family members, strange hair-dos in different styles, our weight gains, they are there for us in the celebrations and devastating losses in our lives. They move with us from one state to the next never asking where we are going or why. We, in turn, just expect them to adjust without any questions. God bless them, for they always buffer our bad moods with sloppy kisses and warm soft coats to bury our faces in and drench with tears. They anxiously await our arrival home at the end of a long day.

Life flies by and eventually, one day, the time in their lives that we never are prepared to face comes into being. The first signs can be anything from less of an appetite to not coming immediately when we call them. The signs are usually very subtle at first, maybe they just don’t run up the stairs anymore, we tell ourselves it is nothing too serious, maybe we are slower these days too. Then we may notice that singular bad day is stretching into a string of bad days or even weeks. We come to face the fact that what we thought was disobedience is in fact hearing loss and the extra naps, not a sign of laziness, but just plain weariness.

Did you know that the maximum life span of our dogs should be 25 - 30 years?, unfortunately, the average dog living in this day and age, only lives to be approximately 10-15 years.

Ever wonder WHY???

The first place to look is at nutrition or the diet our dogs eat daily. Oh yes, they come in these beautiful, colorful bags that our veterinarian so highly recommends. The commercials tell us that they are 100% nutritionally complete and “good for our dogs!” If this were true, then why in the last 30 years have we begun to see such a huge increase of dogs with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, periodontal disease and arthritis? Could it possibly be what we are feeding them? It sure is the number ONE reason! (over vaccinating is another reason but that is for another time).

With our older dog, it is obviously very important to supply him/or her with the best and healthiest possible nutrition available. Now notice, I didn’t say anything about the “best food” that is available, because the best food that is available does not come in a bag or a box, it is fresh, raw meat and bones first and foremost and then next would be ingredients that you could cook for your dog.

I know, a lot of you are saying this is not possible, because of your busy schedule, but honestly, feeding a fresh raw meat and bones diet is the best you could do for that special older companion and it really isn’t that much of a chore once you learn that you don’t have to mix in grains or veggies, much less spend time cooking for them (although the next best thing to feeding raw is to cook for your dog).

Older dogs that have not had optimal nutrition during their lives, tend to exhibit signs of debilitating diseases such as arthritis, liver failure, kidney failure, diabetes, hyper or hypo thyroid conditions and on and on.

If your older dog has been on kibble or some kind of processed food for most of his/her life and been vaccinated yearly, what most veterinary naturopaths and holistic veterinarians like to recommend is to begin with a very gentle detox or cleansing of the blood with the herbs God gave us for this purpose. These herbs or homeopathic remedies are available in tinctures or tablets I personally use with my own my dogs as well a recommend to my clients –

If your senior dog’s immune system is strong and healthy, then your dog will be strong and healthy and will be able to ward off invading pathogens and diseases and live a longer and healthier life.

Why do I recommend a “cleaning of the blood”? Because the blood is either carrying nutrition to the cells of the body; restoring the cells that have been broken down during the day or the blood is carrying toxic materials to those cells. How do you know if the blood is contaminated and carrying toxins instead of nutrition? Disease, illness or weakness of any kind will begin to appear in your dog’s health.

Again, optimum nutrition is the foundation to all health. If your pet is “going down hill”, it is almost always due to malnutrition even though one is providing what they feel may be the “best food money can buy”.

Another important step is to support this older dog with nutritional supplementation in the way of trace minerals, natural vitamins, enzymes and probiotics to balance the flora in the dog’s body. These have been shown to contribute to the rebuilding of the dog’s bones, teeth, eyes and muscles throughout the body.

I have seen case after case of this protocol of a home cooked or raw diet in conjunction with a twice yearly detox, probitotics, digestive enzymes, minerals and vitamins restore the health and happiness of the older dog and get them completely off any drugs that had in actuality contributed to the dog’s decline. Don’t we owe it to the special animals in our lives to help them live longer and healthier lives? They deserve nothing but the best!

About Dr. Jeannie Thomason

Jeanette Thomason, VND is a Veterinary Naturopath, Natural Pet Care Educator, Pet Nutrition Consultant and a Natural Rearing Dog Breeder. Dr.Jeannie is also the founder of Natural Rearing Breeders Association and author of several articles, some of which she has co-authorerd with her friend and co-host from the internet radio show, Animal Talk Naturally and have appeard in Natural Animal Wellness Magazine. Dr Thomason has dedicated herself to extensive research and education as well as an exploration of hands-on experiences in practicing animal nutrition and natural health with her Naturally reared dogs for last 20 years.

Website: The Whole Dog

*DISCLAIMER

The purpose and general goal of the veterinary naturopathic consultation offered by Jeannie Thomason, VND is to educate the client about their animals body systems in relation to function and ability pertaining to maintenance of overall homeostasis (balance) through the removal of various, and typically specific, obstacles to their health, this thereby encouraging their body’s own natural healing processes. Dr Jeannie Thomason does not function as a traditional allopathic veterinarian by diagnosing disease, treating disease, or performing invasive procedures, nor do her services replace that of a traditional licensed allopathic veterinarian.

The information offered by Dr Thomason, is intended to provide general guidance. Nothing on the web site or during a regular consultation constitutes traditional allopathic veterinary advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian before undertaking any course of “treatment” for your animal or changing treatments or medications your own veterinarian has already prescribed. This consultation will hopefully suggest additional options to think about, and other areas to explore, based on your dog’s condition.