The effect of obesity on health-related quality of life in dogs

Obesity in dogs is a multifactorial disease characterized by excessive fat accumulation, by inadequate physical activity, genetic predisposition, metabolic factors, and the gut microbiome. In humans, obesity is associated with lower activity levels, increased pain, and reduced energy, which can decrease quality of life and shorten lifespan. This study evaluated quality of life in eleven obese and eleven normal-weight dogs, classified by body weight and body condition scoring, regardless of age, sex, or breed. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was evaluated based on the responses provided by the dogs’ owners to a questionnaire. The responses were converted into scores reflecting food-seeking behaviour, pain levels, vitality, frequency of treat giving, sucrose preference, the owner's physical activity, BMI, employment status, and their perception of the dog's body weight. Results showed that food-seeking behaviour and pain scores increased significantly with higher Body Fat Index, while vitality scores decreased with increased BFI. Obesity was significantly associated with higher treat intake (p<0.05), including rice, curry leftovers, biscuits, and peanut brittle, and with a stronger preference for sucrose (p<0.01) compared to normal-weight dogs. A significant difference was observed in body weight perception by owners between the ideal weight group and the obese group (p<0.01). However, there were no significant differences in owner BMI, physical activity, or employment status between the ideal weight group and the obese group. The results suggested that HRQoL is reduced in overweight and obese dogs compared to those with a healthy body weight.