A new report from Banfield Pet Hospital chain shows that not only Americans, but also their pets are affected by obesity. Over the past 10 years, the clinics noticed an increase of obesity rates of 158 percent in dogs, and 169 percent in cats. Therefore, they ranked the states with the most overweight pets, in hope that people would take better care of their animal friends.
- Not only Americans, but also their pets are overweight.
- Minnesota and Nebraska top the list of the states with most obese animals.
- Owners should start giving less treats to their friends, and take better care of their diets.
Minnesota, Nebraska, and Michigan are the states with the most obese dogs. When it comes to chubby cats, the first two states are also the leaders, while the third position is occupied by Iowa. The state with the fewest fat pets is Mississippi, which leads the ranking for both cats and dogs.
Every year, the officials at Banfield release a report in which they assess the health of the pets which visit their clinics. For the 2017 State of Pet Health report, they noticed that one out of three pets treated at their hospitals in 2016 was obese or overweight.
Results show that, on average, 30 percent of dogs all over US are overweight. Cats tend to be a little fatter, with 33 percent on average being obese. This is quite worrying, since an unhealthy weight leads to further health complications. In fact, veterinarians also saw an increase in those conditions caused by obesity.
The culprit for this obesity epidemic among pets are, most probably, treats. Owners see them as a sign of love and appreciation they show to their furry friends but, most of the time, they overdo it. Therefore, they should reduce the number of treats but, more importantly, establish with veterinarians the optimal diet for their animals.
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