In today's society, the problem of overweight and obesity in domestic pets has become a global focus. According to U.S. statistics, about 60% of pets are overweight or obese, making the United States the country with the highest pet epidemic rate in the world. Although there are currently no relevant statistical data in our country, according to conservative estimates, the obesity rate among pets in our country is not too low.

Many people think that fat children are cute. This concept may stem from Misconceptions about pet obesity. However, the dangers of pet obesity cannot be ignored. In fact, almost all obesity problems that humans encounter also exist in pets. To make matters worse, certain problems are more prominent in pets due to factors such as their anatomy.

Obesity can put tremendous pressure on your pet’s joints. Pets that are overweight must bear extra weight on their joints, including the spine and limb joints. This extra stress can lead to degenerative changes in the joints, causing pain and even affecting your pet’s mobility. Once mobility becomes inconvenient, pets are even less willing to exercise, which further aggravates the obesity problem and forms a vicious cycle.

Obesity can also affect your pet’s respiratory system. In obese pets, a layer of fat several centimeters thick will form on the chest, which can seriously hinder the pet's normal breathing. If your pet's lungs are unable to expand effectively, they may also develop symptoms such as coughing. In order to solve this problem, the only way is to help pets lose weight.

Obesity also increases your pet’s risk of developing diabetes. Excess body fat can cause pets to produce too many insulin antibodies and reduce their sensitivity to insulin. For pets, managing their weight is a key factor in reducing the risk of diabetes. If your pet is overweight, it may also be at risk for fatty liver disease. When an obese pet is unable to eat or has a loss of appetite due to illness or other reasons, its liver cannot handle a large amount of body fat, which easily leads to the formation of fatty liver and may even lead to liver failure.

In addition to health problems, obesity will also affect the life span of pets. A study of Labrador retrievers found that normal-sized Labradors lived an average of 2.5 years longer than overweight individuals. Considering the average lifespan of a dog is just over ten years, a 2.5-year gap is significant. This means that in order to extend the lifespan of our pets, we need to take steps to control their weight.

In addition, obesity will also bring difficulties to the treatment of pets. For obese pets who already suffer from certain medical conditions, dietary adjustments may be necessary. However, these pets often do not adapt well to the changed food, which becomes a barrier to treatment. In addition, obesity increases the risks of surgery and anesthesia. Because pets are covered with thick fat, doctors may not be able to accurately calculate the amount of anesthetic medication required when anesthetizing an obese pet. In addition, anesthesia itself may inhibit breathing, and surface fat can make breathing more difficult for your pet. In abdominal surgery, the difficulty of the operation increases due to the accumulation of abdominal fat, which in turn increases the risks of the operation.

In daily life, when we see fat pets, we may think they are cute, but in the eyes of doctors, these so-called "cutes" are obstacles to treatment. If you really care about your pet and want it to stay with you longer, then controlling its weight should be one of the most economical and effective means. Good living conditions do not equate to a high quality of life. Scientifically raising pets should start with weight control. By eating right and exercising appropriately, we can help our pets stay healthy and extend their lives. Let's work together to love our pets and give them the best care possible!