Association between life span and body condition in neutered client-owned dogs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There is an association between overweight status and life span in kenneled dogs, but a similar association has not been reported for pet dogs.

Objectives

To examine the effects of being overweight in middle age on the life span of neutered client-owned dogs.

Animals

Fifty-thousand seven-hundred eighty seven middle-aged neutered client-owned dogs attending a network of approximately 900 veterinary hospitals across North America.

Methods

Retrospective case-control study. For each of 12 breeds, groups of dogs aged between 6.5 and 8.5 years were identified as being in "overweight" or "normal" body condition. Within each breed and sex, differences in life span between dogs in normal body condition and overweight body condition in the 2 groups were then a

SUBMITTER: Salt C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6335446 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature