Comments

1. 

   Krista Magnifico Post author

   Hello Jana,

   Thanks for this very important question!

   There are many tolls that overweight/obese dogs pay.

   To name some of them; joint disease, heart disease, endocrine disease (diabetes), cancer, dermatologic complications, the list goes on and on.

   But the single biggest toll that I see obese dogs pay is their lack of a happy healthy life. Fat dogs are not happy dogs. They may wag their tail, they may beg for food, but when you see an overweight dog that has lost their excess weight and regained their vigor and love for life it is magic! I have seen dogs who act and behave like they are years younger. They play, they interact, they are curious, and just happy. Their parents always tell me how they cannot believe how different their dog acts and how they never knew how much that excess weight was weighing them down.

   Being healthy is the biggest key to happiness, ask any sick or fat dog. Our health is the greatest gift we have, cherish it, foster it, and promote it.

   Medicine can’t change our gentics but diet and lifestyle can change and improve almost everything else.

   There are many products, diagnostics, diets, supplements, tricks, and perhaps even a few lifestyle changes available to help you and your pup be on their way to a more youthful vibrant and longer life, and maybe/hopefully, you both can make a whole lot less visits to my veterinary office!

   Krista Magnifico, DVM
   Owner Jarrettsville Veterinary Center
   Jarrettsville, MD
   http://www.jarrettsvillevet.com