Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Overweight in Swedish show dogs and its effect on competition results
By Lindåse, Sanna et al.·Published in Acta veterinaria Scandinavica·2021·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Overweight in Swedish show dogs-prevalence and association with performance in competition.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
At a major dog show in Sweden, 120 show dogs from popular breeds were checked for weight issues, and it was found that 32% were slightly overweight. Breeds like Labrador retrievers, Golden retrievers, and French bulldogs had the highest rates of overweight dogs, with 50-67% of them being affected. Interestingly, both lean and slightly overweight dogs performed equally well in competitions, meaning being a bit overweight didn't hurt their chances of winning. This highlights the need for dog owners and breeders to be aware of weight management, especially for breeds prone to health issues related to obesity.
People also search for: why is my dog overweight · Labrador retriever weight management · dog show performance and weight · French bulldog health issues · Golden retriever diet tips
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing in companion dogs, but little is known of these conditions in show dogs. This study assessed body condition score (BCS) of show dogs of six selected popular breeds at a major Swedish dog show event and examined the association between BCS and performance in competition. RESULTS: At one of Sweden's largest dog shows, BCS of 120 dogs of six different breeds was assessed by trained animal healthcare personnel, using a 9-point BCS scale with conditional cut-off for overweight set to BCS ≥ 6. Prevalence of overweight in the cohort was 32% but all overweight dogs except one displayed only slight overweight (BCS 6) and no dog was assessed as obese (BCS 8-9). Prevalence of overweight differed significantly between breeds (P < 0.0001) with Labrador retrievers, Golden retrievers and French bulldogs showing the highest mean BCS (5.6-5.7) and highest prevalence of overweight (50-67%). Lean and overweight dogs received awards and higher show awards (certificates) to the same extent, and no significant association between slight overweight and performance in competition was found. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of overweight in Swedish show dogs was relatively high and in the same range as in the Swedish dog population as a whole. Dog owners, breeders and judges should be made aware of canine obesity problems and trained in BCS assessment, to better prevent canine overweight and associated health risks. This is particularly important for retriever and brachycephalic breeds, which showed high prevalence of slight overweight and have breed-specific health problems exacerbated by overweight. Owners and breeders of traditionally sturdy dog breeds should be informed that overweight dogs do not outperform lean dogs in competition.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33902679/