Dog Obesity and Arthritis on the Rise

According to Banfield Pet Hospital’s 2019 State of Pet Health Report, dog obesity and arthritis is on the rise. One in three pets living in the United States are overweight. Osteoarthrosis is also surging, with a 66% increase in dogs over the last decade.

“While limping is the most common sign that prompts pet owners to pay a visit to their veterinarian, there are more subtle signs of osteoarthritis that pet owners can mistakenly dismiss as normal ‘old age’ behavior,” says Banfield veterinarian Emi Saito, VMD, MSPH, MBA, Dipl. ACVP. “For example, dogs may sit in what’s often referred to as a side sit or ‘lazy sit’ — with the back leg loosely to the side, not tucked to their body.”

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