[Seeseeskeva]

a vent thing sorry..
I work at a vets office, and today the owner of a 30lb pug came in, the pug seems to gain a pound and a half every time it comes in, the poor thing sounded like a dying pig when it breathed, it had more rolls than any dog i've ever seen, it had chin under chin, and the owner brought it in because of the breathing but refuses to believe it's partly caused by the weight, saying
"she's just pleasantly plump"

[valiumcheepval]

Haha I work at a vets office and get it ALL the time...I just wanna give them a swift kick to the head and pray that it knocks some sense into some of these people. Especially the "he seems to be a little sluggish lately...." welllll maybe you should stop feeding it as much as you would a small horse and he would be able to run without his belly getting in the way

[saruxanset]

My uncle owns a lab, this dog is morbidly obese. He feeds this poor thing CONSTANTLY! It's so sad to see him, he takes a few steps and has to lay down... the dog should be in his prime! My uncle thinks he looks good

[occalmnab]

Yeah unfortunately most dog owners don't even know what a good weight for their dog even looks like. They probably consider a tucked waist, and hint of rib as skinny...when actually it is likely what is the ideal condition for a dog. People tell me my dogs are on the skinny side all the time, I know better (and my vet...) so I just base their judgement on plain ignorance.

[dolaBeetCeage]

Don't the vets have a responsiblity to tell these owners their dog's health is in major jeopardy because of their weight?....

or, do they tell them and they plain ignore it.

[Mynameishappy]

Been a tech for quite a few years. If I had a dollar for every time we had to lecture an owner on their dog's weight I'd be a millionaire. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of folks actually followed the dr's advice and put their dogs on a diet. I wish I knew why people tend to think that a fat dog is a 'healthy' dog. If only they realized all the health problems this causes their dogs in the long run.

[mymnarorump]

That's sad. I get "skinny dog" comments pretty frequently with my two...most people are used to seeing overweight dogs, and I supposed by comparison, healthy ones come off as "skinny". I will say though, I've never had to take either of mine into the vet for anything other than vaccs. and general checkups.(knock on wood!) : ) Healthy as little horses, even though we don't feed them as much.

[Seeseeskeva]

We tell them and the owner doesn't seem to think that's the problem

[saruxanset]

Don't the vets have a responsiblity to tell these owners their dog's health is in major jeopardy because of their weight?....

or, do they tell them and they plain ignore it.

I don't know if you are referring to the OP but I know with my uncles dog the vet has said he NEEDS to lose some weight. He just doesn't listen. The amazing thing about it is-- his dog isn't neutered! Imagine if he was!

[saruxanset]

That's sad. I get "skinny dog" comments pretty frequently with my two...most people are used to seeing overweight dogs, and I supposed by comparison, healthy ones come off as "skinny". I will say though, I've never had to take either of mine into the vet for anything other than vaccs. and general checkups.(knock on wood!) : ) Healthy as little horses, even though we don't feed them as much.

YES I get the skinny comments ALL the time. I took her to the vet about a week ago and he said she is PERFECT! She is fit and lithe in appearance and that's the way I prefer her to look.

[saruxanset]

This is how fat my uncles lab is-- Wildlife Blog

[occalmnab]

This is how fat my uncles lab is-- Wildlife Blog

If you are referring to the dog on the left, that is unbelievable and so sad because it is a form of neglect IMO...that dog is morbidly obese and his quality of life must be compromised entirely due to his weight. That "bigger is better" crap mentality runs rampant with many breeds, especially large breeds like Rotties or Mastiffs. The owner lets the dog get absolutely huge (obese), then brags about owning a 120 lb Rottweiler and has one badass big dog.

Sorry chump, but that dog is a fatty....a lazy ass replica of what the breed should look like, and hopefully you have insurance to cover all the future health problems that you created.

[cauddyVab]

This is how fat my uncles lab is-- Wildlife Blog

Working as a Tech for several years I can tell you this, yes, it is the responsibility of the Vet to tell the owner, sad to say, as easy a fix this is is where owners are least compliant.

[saruxanset]

If you are referring to the dog on the left, that is unbelievable and so sad because it is a form of neglect IMO...that dog is morbidly obese and his quality of life must be compromised entirely due to his weight. That "bigger is better" crap mentality runs rampant with many breeds, especially large breeds like Rotties or Mastiffs. The owner lets the dog get absolutely huge (obese), then brags about owning a 120 lb Rottweiler and has one badass big dog.

Sorry chump, but that dog is a fatty....a lazy ass replica of what the breed should look like, and hopefully you have insurance to cover all the future health problems that you created.

Yes the one on the left looks like my uncles dog (not mine). He is 6 years old now and I'm wondering if he'll reach 8

[saruxanset]

Working as a Tech for several years I can tell you this, yes, it is the responsibility of the Vet to tell the owner, sad to say, as easy a fix this is is where owners are least compliant.

On average what is the lifespan of a dog that is that obese?

[cauddyVab]

On average what is the lifespan of a dog that is that obese?

I'm surprised the dog has made it to 6 myself. Has the Vet done any testing to check thyroid function? Is the dog diabetic? Poor baby, how are his hips? His back?

[Yb4bulVR]

This is my friends 110 pound husky, this is the fattest dog I know and she is almost 10 amazingly although she now has diabetes and either hip displaysia or arthitis

[saruxanset]

I'm surprised the dog has made it to 6 myself. Has the Vet done any testing to check thyroid function? Is the dog diabetic? Poor baby, how are his hips? His back?

I don't know what all he has done with Ruger (the obese lab). I know he is procrastinating taking Ruger to the vet for an annual check up... hmmmm, wonder why.
EVERYONE has told him that the dog is too fat and he thinks he is in good shape (wtf?). This is what his diet consists of--
free feeding grocery brand kibble (kibbles n bits, dog chow, ol Roy), a 1/2 pound hunk of bologna, 1/3-1/2 of whatever my uncle eats (per meal) plus dessert (including chocolate sometimes). My uncles an asshole (we are not close, he is my uncle through marriage lol) and a know it all, he refuses to take advice from anyone including the vet.

[valiumcheepval]

This is how fat my uncles lab is-- Wildlife Blog

Holy fat rolls!!! That is terribly sad

[saruxanset]

Holy fat rolls!!! That is terribly sad

It is. He can only walk a few yards and then he has to lay down. Yet my uncle works him pretty hard (for how fat he is) he walks him a few miles a day.... his joints are going to be destroyed