Grey Muzzles Gone Wide: Feeding Strategies to Avoid and Treat Weight Gain in Older Dogs

 According to the latest estimates, over 56% of US pet dogs are overweight or have obesity, totaling over 50 million dogs. A recent pet parent survey found that almost half (47%) of American dog owners have a dog age 7 or older. That means we continue to see an increase in older, overweight dogs in this country. That also means more dogs are at risk for preventable weight-related diseases such as arthritis, kidney failure, high blood pressure, and cancer. “Grey muzzles gone wide” is inadvertently putting millions of senior dogs in danger. Luckily, there are so many things dog parents can do to help keep their pooch at a healthy body condition. Dr. Ernie Ward shared the reasons why we continue to see an increase in overweight dogs around the world, the consequences of a few extra pounds on your dog’s health and longevity, and the latest research on effective weight loss techniques.