Canine obesity affects approximately 40-50% of UK dogs and causes significant welfare harm through reduced mobility, joint pain, and shortened lifespan. Prevention is far more effective than treatment.
Canine obesity is one of the most prevalent and preventable welfare problems in companion animals. The welfare consequences are substantial and progressive: excess weight accelerates joint degeneration, reducing activity tolerance and causing chronic pain from osteoarthritis; breathing difficulties from excess chest wall weight reduce exercise capacity further; heat intolerance limits normal activity in warm weather. The reduced lifespan of 2-3 years represents years of lost life in addition to years of reduced quality during the obese period. Owner normalisation of overweight body condition - largely driven by exposure to overweight dogs as the visual norm - prevents recognition of the problem. Veterinary BCS assessment at every visit and honest weight conversations create opportunities for early intervention before obesity becomes established. Weight loss in dogs, as in humans, requires caloric restriction combined with exercise, with veterinary supervision improving success rates.