Date:   6/13/2007 10:58:43 PM ( 17 y ago)
Hits:   1,635
URL:   https://www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=895775

Over the weekend I was at a dog event (not show) and I was struck by how obese the majority of dogs are. I was personally revolted to see fine outstanding breeds waddling around in the heat. Weighed down by kilos of body fat and poor muscle tone. I saw many dogs that were nearly twice their ideal weight... I asked!

It was a hot day and one could clearly see the difference comparing the minority of the fit dogs with the fat ones. The fat dogs were dying in the heat, tongues hanging out at max, heads down in exhaustion and barely keeping up with their human companions. The lean dogs were a study in contrast - lively, active happy.

This is not love. Feeding your dog to death is an act of cruelty not kindness. Obesity will reduce their lifespan, increase their risk of cancer, diabetes, arthritis. It will also hasten the onset of chronic diseases.

It has long been known that a diet low in calories increase the lifespan of animals, it reduces the incidence of cancer, it delays the onset of chronic (old age) diseases. It keeps the animals young for a longer time. The power of calorie restriction is so strong that studies done in rats has shown that when rats are fed a tumor causing diet but are in a calorie restricted diet they are no more likely to develop tumors than rats eating calorie rich non-tumor causing diets.

One of the best things you can do for your animal is to keep them lean and exercise them. The focus on this diet or that diet should be secondary to the amount of food the dog is eating.

This event also made me think about the unhealthy breeding practices of the show fancy. I explore that in my blog.


Further Reading:

Calorie Restriction And Increased Longevity Linked To Metabolic Changes

Symposium Highlights New Findings on Calorie Restriction's Impact

Dogged Dieting: Low-cal canines enjoy longer life 

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