Did you know?

• 76% of pet owners believe their pets' weight to be 'just right', but actually, up to 50% of cats and dogs are overweight 
• 67% of European pet owners are aware that they themselves might be overweight 
• 60% of European pet owners (including the UK) do not take their pets to the vet to be weighed 
• Pet owners in the UK and Germany are particularly unaware of pet obesity but French and Italian owners are more critical of their pet's weight. 
• Only 15% of owners of obese pets purchase calorie controlled food 
• 40% of pet owners feed snacks to their pets more than once a day,single female dog owners are the main culprits! 
• 90% of owners admit they don't exercise enough. 
• One in four dog owners do not exercise themselves or their dogs. 
• Only 30% exercise their dogs enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle

Research with pet owners was conducted in UK, Germany, Italy and France. 1,000 interviews were conducted in UK and 2,000 interviews in Germany of pet owners

Other Fast Facts on Obesity 

• Obesity is the most common form of malnutrition in pets. 
• More than 15% over ideal bodyweight is defined clinically as the onset of obesity. Health problems are a virtual certainty over 30% of the ideal weight. 
• A 1% calorie excess, on a daily basis, produces obesity by middle age in pets. 
• Fat puppies often grow into fat adults because they have produced increased numbers of fat cells during growth. 
• Overweight pets are at a higher risk of developing health problems such as heart disease, skeletal and breathing problems, skin disease, diabetes and arthritis. 
• Some dog breeds are more at risk of developing weight problems, such as the Labrador retreiver, Cairn terrier, Long-haired Dachsund, Basset hound, Cavalier King Charles spaniel and Beagle.
• If a dog or cat has been neutered or spayed they are more at risk of becoming overweight if their feeding regimen is not adapted. 
• For cats the risk of becoming overweight increases after it is three years old but decreases after it reaches the age of six. 
• Two key factors lead to obesity: overfeeding and insufficient exercise. Hormonal imbalances that cause obesity are less common than we think.