Obesity does not only affect humans. In North America, our pets are putting on the pounds and more and more animals are developing weight-related medical conditions that were virtually nonexistent 20 years ago. Our pets are getting osteoarthritis, diabetes, pancreatitis, anterior cruciate ligament injuries, and heart and respiratory disease.
Today, obesity is one of the fastest-growing health problems in our canine friends. A 2008 study by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimated that 44% of American dogs, or roughly 33 million, were overweight or obese.
According to veterinarian Dr. Jody Kincaid, commercial food is one of the major causes of obesity. He does not recommend most commercial dog foods as these are corn-based, and dogs are not designed to eat corn.