Is Obeseity Abuse?

[smkie]

For those of you who said it's neglect but not necessarily abuse..........Neglect IS abuse, it's just a more passive form of it. If someone were STARVING their dog to death, I would most definitely call that abuse, it's just ABUSE by neglect IMO. Look up terms we use for child abuse........theres mental, physical, neglect, etc etc.

Anyway, yes I think it's abuse. It's abuse born of ignorance as many have pretty much said. Many do it out of "guilt" and misplaced "affection".......(same way they get their kids up to morbidly obese IMO)......the dog spends time alone, give him an extra yum yum to make up for it, the dog doesn't get to go for walks or have fun? Well here's something tasty to show I wuv my wittle pumpy umpkin, LOL

No I don't think there should be MORE laws made on the subject because if they followed the laws they have NOW, obesity would fall into the abuse category already established

PS, I wish I had a chaz owner to control my food intake and exercise! :rofl1:

That's exactly how I feel about it.

 

[mrose_s]

Yes, I see it up there with neglect.
I know some people have overweight dogs, I'm incredibly anal about Buster's weight but I don't expect everyone to be like that but dogs that are obese for noother reason than they're owners is just sad.
We struggle with Harry's weight, all the other dogs are quiet easy to get to stay slim, the ACD in Harry means he gains weight on the smell of food, has a hard time getting it off, has a massive appetite and gets cranky when he's hungry. He's also built different to the other dogs, he's short legged,heavy set with a lot of loose, thick skin. He's looking better now and actually has a bit of a waist since we've got more room for him to run.

 

[Criosphynx]

I hate hate hate when people play the "he/she got fat after they were fixed BECAUSE they were fixed" or the even better one "I dont want to get her fixed because she will get fat"

More exercise and less food equal less weight. You learn that in like, fourth grade. When I notice and extra pound I cut back food for that particular dog, OR I up the activity.



If the dog has a medical issue, thats fine. But otherwise, I really don't get it.

 

[bubbatd]

Many people are overweight because of snacking and they share with their dogs. When I.B. had her brain tumor she went crazy over wanting to eat anything . She wasn't over weight , but the vet recommended air popped corn and canned green beans as tummy pleasers .

 

[CaliTerp07]

I think poodle mommy has it right--a fat dog can still be a well loved, well taken care of dog. There are a ridiculously fat beagle and golden that come to my dog park once in a while. Their owners fawn over them, their kids adore them, and they get to come to the park once in a while. Pretty good life, aside from the weight.

Would it be better if their owners stopped letting them gorge themselves? Yes, of course. It would also be better if people with healthy sized dogs stopped using prong collars or yelling at their dogs for peeing in the house. But in no way do I think that those dogs should be taken away--they'll be taken to a shelter and put down.

 

[Lizmo]

No. I do not think having a fat dog is abuse. Frankly, that's a pretty big generalization to make.

Besides, what is your definition of 'obesity'? 5lbs overweight? 10lb overweight? Can't walk?

 

[Pops2]

i had the incident w/ the morbidly obese greyhound "rescue" several months back so i don't think there's any doubt about how i feel about fat dogs & their ignorant (often willfully) owners but the real danger of NOT getting in their face is that allowing them & everyone watching to go on thinking fat is correct WILL (and has) result in harassment of people who keep their dogs fit & healthy (like most hunting & working dogs).

 

[Juicy]

Many people are overweight because of snacking and they share with their dogs. When I.B. had her brain tumor she went crazy over wanting to eat anything . She wasn't over weight , but the vet recommended air popped corn and canned green beans as tummy pleasers .

The reason I'm not overweight is because I share with my dogs

 

[Artfish]

When a pet is spayed/neutered, do vets explain to the owners that the animal will likely have a lower caloric requirement? Intact dogs tend to require more calories to maintain weight than otherwise so while sterilization does not cause weight gain, if owners do not realize this, they won't make the proper adjustments in their pet's diet. On top of that, pets tend to get neutered at 6-12 months of age, then maturity begins soon after which also means a drop in caloric requirement. I don't think my vet said anything about my goober when he was neutered, but then he was a skinny, disproportionate rescue.

I don't agree with vets who do not say anything until a dog is really overweight. In my opinion, it is MUCH easier and more beneficial to catch a problem early. Would you rather treat a paper cut or a full blown staph infection? Having to lose two pounds is a lot less daunting than 12 or even 20 pounds.

 

[ACooper]

But in no way do I think that those dogs should be taken away--they'll be taken to a shelter and put down.

I agree completely with this statement, while I do feel it's wrong, and yes, these dogs quality and quantity of life ARE being affected, I definitely wouldn't want them taken away and placed in foster or shelters. Most of them wouldn't stand a chance

 

[LauraLeigh]

well, i am close to morbidly obese, and I obsess over my dogs weight. i actually try to keep them just a hair below ideal weight.

but yes in general, i see more obese people with obese dogs than not.

I am the same....

I wish someone would control my diet the way I control the dogs!!!!:rofl1:

 

[tessa_s212]

I certainly feel for the dogs, and think the owners are very ignorant and harming their dog's health... but, I wouldn't feel so strongly to call it abuse. I've worked in a shelter. An owner that feeds their dog too much is the least of my worries.

 

[SmexyPibble]

Yes, it's abuse. It causes many health problems, and the dog cannot live life as a dog should because he or she is carrying around a load of extra, uneccesary weight.

I wish all people would be responsible enough to keep their dog in shape. That's part of having a dog.

People think that their dogs are so much happier when they're fat, but really - they're extremely unhappy, they're only happy while they eating. What happens after their done getting their snacks? It's not like they can't feed healthier, and at scattered times throughout the day if eating makes the dog so happy.

It's neglect and abuse, nothing less.

EDIT: We rescued a 16 year old Dachshund. She was extremely overweight. She had many health problems because of her weight. She could barely breathe, and she could barely walk. She hated it when people touched her tummy because it was so sensitive and it hurt when she was picked up. She had lost all of her hair, all of her teeth, and was covered in fleas. She couldn't go up and down the stairs, and passed away not long after we rescued her because of her weight. I believe she could have lived much longer if she was at a healthy weight. And with no doubt, she could have lived a much happier life.

 

[TexasRanger]

No matter what we do we can't get Chevy to loose weight. We take her on long walks,feed her the best food we can afford, and she has been checked for thyroid problems. Our vet told us that dogs will gain some weight after they are spayed and when they get older. Chevy only recently started to keep the weight on.

 

[SmexyPibble]

I can relate to TexasRanger. My 11 year old cat is overweight, we've put her on diets, we feed her a limited amount of the best food a day, and I love her with all my heart, she has been to the vet for it, has had food the vet suggested for her, and she just can't get the extra weight off. I hate thinking she'll die sooner because she is overweight, and I've tried so hard with her food and her diets, etc. But nothing works.

 

[Criosphynx]

No matter what we do we can't get Chevy to loose weight. We take her on long walks,feed her the best food we can afford, and she has been checked for thyroid problems. Our vet told us that dogs will gain some weight after they are spayed and when they get older. Chevy only recently started to keep the weight on.

how about feeding her less food?

I can relate to TexasRanger. My 11 year old cat is overweight, we've put her on diets, we feed her a limited amount of the best food a day, and I love her with all my heart, she has been to the vet for it, has had food the vet suggested for her, and she just can't get the extra weight off. I hate thinking she'll die sooner because she is overweight, and I've tried so hard with her food and her diets, etc. But nothing works.

exercise?

 

[SmexyPibble]

exercise?

She plays with her toys, chases string, chases the puppy, rolls around on her back, etc. She doesn't go outside though; she's scared to ever since she got in a fight with our neighbor's cat at our old house. Even if she was willing, I wouldn't allow her to. We've had cougars and coyotes around here on a regular basis. I don't know what more exercise she could do. She loves when I give her a bath (she has long hair, so I brush her everyday and give her a bath every other month)...maybe I could fill the bath tub up and do water therapy? She'd kill me for that.

 

[sillysally]

I think poodle mommy has it right--a fat dog can still be a well loved, well taken care of dog. There are a ridiculously fat beagle and golden that come to my dog park once in a while. Their owners fawn over them, their kids adore them, and they get to come to the park once in a while. Pretty good life, aside from the weight.

If the dog is morbidly obese, they are NOT being taken care of though.. Weight is a major factor in quality of life. The dog's joints start degenerating, it's back starts becoming damaged, they become more vulnerable to soft tissue injury, etc. Dogs with preexisting conditions are even worse. If I allowed Jack to get fat, he would be crippled.

Being fawned over is not all an animal needs to be happy. I would rather see a healthy dog that is healthy, active, yet not at the center of his owner's attention all the time than an obese dog that can't be active that is fawned over all the time.

People with horrifically fat animals may very well love them, but hoarders love their animals too--doesn't mean that move is in the animal's best interest.

 

[PoodleMommy]

When I think of something as abuse, I believe the dog should be removed from the home and will be better off removed. If a dog is chained outside 24/7 with no human contact thats abuse and honestly if the dog is PTS it is probably better off. However, I cant say that a dog who is overweight is better off removed from their home. Do I think that they may have a shortened life span? yes... but are they better off dead now? no.

 

[babymomma]

I beg to differ poodlemommy..

Harley for one Is WAY better off dead... He be's fawned over and loved by everybody.. But the dog would have been better off if he was PTS 4 years ago IMHO, and the opinion of everybody that knows him and his family.
Its Cruelty.