Molecular Techniques Are 'Man's New Best Friend' in Pet Obesity Research

Apr. 11, 2013 — According to the World Health Organization, more than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. And it's not just humans who are packing on the pounds. Our furry companions are plagued by an obesity epidemic of their own. More than 50 percent of the dogs and cats in the United States are overweight or obese.

In a new paper on pet obesity in the Journal of Animal Science, University of Illinois professor of animal and nutritional sciences Kelly Swanson and his colleagues describe how nutrients and biological compounds in foods can affect gene expression in animals. Their field, called nutrigenomics, offers new insights into the why and how of companion animal obesity.

There are many reasons for the uptick in pet obesity, but they stem from the domestication of cats and dogs, Swanson said. Because most pets no longer hunt or compete for their food and do not mate -- as a result of having been spayed or neutered, the typical dog or cat of today has a much smaller need for energy than the typical wild dog or cat of yesterday, he said.

When a person or an animal consumes more food than the body needs, the excess energy is converted into fat that is stored in adipose tissue. These fats can then be converted back to an energy source during fasting or times of food scarcity.

Continued:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130411143058.htm

10-year ban for feeding fat dog crisps

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Metro, 20 November 2009, p39.

Scotland tops league for fat dogs

Scotland has the highest number of fat dogs in the UK, according to a leading animal charity.
A national survey by PDSA found that about 35% of all dogs coming into its Scottish clinics were obese.

In Glasgow, the figure was as high as 50%, with Edinburgh just below the national average on 34%.

The charity said the statistic could be down to more cases of "pet body dysmorphia" - where owners do not see or acknowledge their pet's condition.

PDSA senior veterinary surgeon, Elaine Pendlebury, said pet obesity was a growing problem in the UK.

"It's not just dogs that suffer from obesity,"she said. "During my years as a vet I have seen a steady increase in the number of cats, rabbits and even small furries that are overweight too.

"This is not about wagging the finger at pet owners, but more about encouraging them to start seeing their pet's true shape.

"There's a real misconception about what a healthy shape is and increasingly a 'tubby' pet is viewed as normal.

"But it's not natural, and thousands of pets across the UK are having their quality of life, and ultimately their life expectancy, cut short as a direct result of obesity."

During the survey, 71% of PDSA vets said owners of overweight pets were genuinely shocked when told their pets' weight was a problem.

About 82% of vets said many owners saw fat pets as "cute and cuddly".

PDSA released the findings of its survey to coincide with the launch of its pet slimming competition, PDSA Pet Fit Club.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8148595.stm