Many veterinarians feel that obese dogs are increasing in prevalence worldwide. However, no data are available; thus, it is difficult to distinguish overweight from obesity as a sign of metabolic syndrome . The objectives are (1) To reveal the ratio of overweight and obese house dogs in Japan; and (2) To investigate differences in breed, gender, body condition and age of various purebreds on healthy dogs. Twelve metabolic parameters were assayed in 888 healthy dogs. The data were analyzed from various viewpoints of age, gender, Body Condition Score (BCS), castration and spay and breeds. The ratio of obese dogs was approximately 27% of all dogs examined. When the effects of aging were assessed, older females were found to be more affected by aging than males. In particular, lipid metabolism parameters, such as triglycerides (TG), Total Cholesterol (T-cho) and Free Fatty Acids (FFA) as well as insulin concentrations in female dogs >11 years old were the highest of all age groups. Because T-cho and insulin concentrations in BCS4 dogs were significantly high, these parameters could be useful as obesity markers in healthy dogs. Creatinine concentrations in small breed dogs, such as Beagles, Cavaliers, Chihuahuas, Miniature dachshunds, Pomeranians, Shih tzus and Yorkshire terriers, were lower than those in middle-sized and large-sized dogs. TG and FFA levels in neutered dogs were significantly higher than those in unaltered dogs. In future, it will be important to measure and assess metabolic parameters in healthy dogs to identify differences among different regions.
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