TAMU study links dog breed, environment to obesity

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — According to a new study led by Texas A&M University (TAMU) and the Dog Aging Project (DAP), the cause of canine obesity may be a complex web of interactions between dogs, their breed background, environment and food motivation.

Owners are more likely to monitor their dog’s diet closely if they themselves reported that their dog was overweight, rather than if only their veterinarian recognized the dog’s overweight status, according to the recently published study, which assessed a combination of dog owner survey responses and veterinarian-reported body condition scores collected from medical records submitted through the DAP.

“Overweight dogs are prone to numerous health problems, including skin disease, diabetes and arthritis,” said Kate Creevy, DVM, DACVIM, DAP chief veterinary officer and a professor in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences’ (VMBS) Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences. “It is imperative that veterinarians develop a better understanding of canine obesity and whether it may be linked to social, environmental or demographic factors so that we can give every dog the best possible quality of life.”

Taking in the results

Kathleen Gartner, a recent graduate of the VMBS’ Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program, conducted research for this study as part of the college’s Veterinary Medical Scientist Research Training Program.

Regarding food motivation, the study found that popular sporting breeds — such as retrievers, spaniels and setters — are around 10% more likely to be more food motivated than other dogs.

“Our study confirmed that dogs in the sporting group — which in our study group were largely Labrador retrievers and Golden retrievers — have a greater likelihood to have high food motivation,” Creevy said. “Given that these are two of the most common breeds in the United States, it is vital that both veterinarians and dog owners understand the diet management strategies necessary for achieving a healthy weight.”

The study also found that dogs in urban environments and those from multi-dog households are more likely to have higher food motivation.

“It’s likely that these factors influence the amount of exercise that dogs get in addition to their access to food,” Creevy said. “Some dogs may seek food out of boredom, which may increase in environments where exercise and enrichment are less available. Additionally, owners with multiple dogs may choose certain feeding practices — including free feeding — out of convenience, which can lead to more food being available.”

Weighing in body condition scores

One of the primary ways that veterinarians assess weight in dogs is by using a body condition score (BCS), which compares pets’ fat accumulation to their size. To determine BCS, a veterinarian will feel areas like the dog’s ribs and hips and then assign the dog a number on a scale of one to nine, with five being an ideal body condition.

However, the DAP’s recent study found that about a third of veterinary medical records didn’t include a BCS within the prior year. According to TAMU, the fact that owners were less likely than veterinarians to report their dogs as overweight may be connected to a lack of understanding BCS.

“A BCS plays a key role in helping veterinarians communicate with owners about their dog’s weight, which is why we need to continue increasing use of these scores,” Creevy explained. “Studies have shown that owners of dogs that are active in sports are more likely to know how to assess BCS, which suggests that owner motivation may play a role in learning how to apply BCS to help their dogs maintain a healthy weight.”

TAMU urges pet parents to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible if they suspect their dog is overweight in order to receive high-quality recommendations of the best diet and type of food for each dog.

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