How feeding to a lean body weight extends lifespan

Believe it or not, obesity and excess body weight are estimated to affect up to 25% of dogs in western countries! Obesity and excess weight can cause dogs to develop a whole host of knock on effects, from impaired breathing, to mobility and joint impairment.

Detailed field studies of dogs spanning over a decade have proven that diet restriction can extend lifespan by up to 15% – that means up to two additional years with your best mate if you keep them lean and mean! This is why feeding your dog the right amount matters just as much as the type of food they eat.

“We all know that obesity, whether human or canine, is bad for health — that’s not new news,” says Dr. Dennis Lawler, who along with principal investigator Dr. Richard Kealy, led the study. “What’s exciting about this study is that, for the first time in a larger mammal, we proved that eating less resulted in longer life. That’s powerful stuff.”

This is also one of the reasons we started Eureka Pet Co. Our “Build a Bowl” process takes into account the most detailed possible information about your best mate – their age, breed, weight, body condition, activity level, health issues and dietary mix – before prescribing exactly how much Eureka they should be eating each day to maintain ideal lean body weight and maximise longevity. We all want more days with our loved ones, and that includes our pets!

To learn how to recognise the signs of obesity check out this handy guide from WSAVA on how to judge your pet’s “Body Condition Score”.

A great way of knowing whether you’re feeding your dog correctly is the quality of their stools – rubbish in, rubbish out as the saying goes! Check out our guide on “What you can tell from your dogs poo & toileting habits” for more helpful info.

Sources:

Waltham International Symposium: Pet Nutrition Coming of Age, “Weight Loss in Obese Dogs: Evaluation of a High-Protein, Low Carbohydrate Diet” Purina, “First-Ever Study Proves Diet Restriction Can Add Nearly Two More Years Of Healthy Life for Canines” (14 Year Lifespan Study)