U.S. PETS ARE BECOMING MORE OVERWEIGHT, STUDY SAYS
The battle of the bulge is a difficult one, and a new report finds American pets are increasingly battling it.
Banfield Pet Hospital has more than 900 locations in the U.S., and their new report shows one in three pets that visited its facilities in 2016 were overweight. The data shows the percentage of overweight cats has grown 169 percent over the past ten years, while the percentage of overweight dogs has increased 158 percent.
Obese cats have been connected to more than 20 ailments while a healthy dog could delay the beginning of numerous chronic diseases. The report also said pet owners will spend more on health care and food for an overweight pet.
Dr. Kirk Breuninger, a research associate at the hospital, says, "While some may say ‘My pet looks cute being pudgy or plump,’ ultimately carrying those extra pounds contributes to exasperating these diseases."
(Pulse Networks)