Published in The FASEB Journal, this study involved owner-reported nutrition data and veterinary assessments of 992 dogs aged 5–20.8 years (median: 9.4 years) from general clinics in 15 U.S. states. Common breeds included Labrador Retrievers (13.1%), Golden Retrievers (5.3%), and Shih Tzus (3.9%), among others.
Veterinarians documented medical histories and conducted exams, including Body Fat Index (BFI) assessments. 69.2% of dogs had a BFI of 20 or 30, and 23.5% had a BFI of 40 or higher, indicating overweight or obese status. The most frequent medical issues included dental disease (83.7%), benign tumors (46.2%), and arthritis (30.3%).
Feeding data revealed that 92.5% of dogs received dry food, with 72.6% receiving at least 90% of their intake as dry food and 19.5% eating exclusively dry food. In contrast, only 23.6% were offered any wet food, and less than 1% ate wet food exclusively. Additionally, 58.8% received treats, 32% were fed human food, and 5% consumed homemade or other food types.
These findings reflect consistent national trends and highlight the need for tailored dietary strategies for older dogs, particularly regarding breed-specific health risks and body composition.
Source: Regina L. Hollar, Heather M. Schiefelbein, Brian A. Stone, Jordan MacLeay, and Susan Wernimont. “Feeding Patterns and Medical Diagnosis Frequency in a National Survey of Older Dogs.” The FASEB Journal, Volume 34, 2020-04-01.
