Is Your Dog Too Fat?

We are constantly bombarded with news about how being overweight is bad for us people, but what about our dogs?

According to a new survey from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), 55 percent of dogs and 53 percent of cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese.

When you compare that to the national average—68 percent of adults are now overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—it’s no surprise how they got that way.

What is shocking, however, is that obesity rates in pets have skyrocketed in the last 15 to 20 years, says Denise Elliott, D.V.M., Ph.D., a nutritionist at Banfield Pet Hospital in Portland, Oregon. What’s changed? “Today, more than ever before, pets are part of our families,” Elliot says. “They used to live outdoors and run around all day. Now they’re sleeping in our beds and napping on our couches.”

Not sure if your pet’s pudge classifies as excess weight? Here’s how to tell: “If you can barely feel the ribs or there’s no cinch at the waist, it’s probably too fat,” says Steven Budsberg, D.V.M., Director of Clinical research at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. “Make an appointment with your vet.”