A few months ago, researchers at the University of Cambridge were studying British Labrador retriever dogs and they have identified genes associated with canine obesity; these genes are also associated with obesity in humans.
The current human obesity epidemic is mirrored by an obesity epidemic in dogs.
Around 40 to 60 per cent of pet dogs are overweight or obese, which can and does often lead to a range of health issues.
The researchers recruited owners with pet dogs in which they measured body fat, scored ‘greediness’, and took saliva samples for DNA.
The gene DENN1B is the one most strongly associated with obesity.
Humans also carry this gene and it was found to directly affect a brain pathway.
It is responsible for regulating energy balance in the body, called the leptin melanocortin pathway.
There were four other genes associated with human and canine appetite, but they exert a smaller effect.
These genes are not an immediate and obvious target for weight-loss drugs because they control other key biological processes.
Only by strict attention to diet and effort with exercise can a dog owner or person vulnerable to gaining excessive weight prevent it.
Dog owners can keep their dogs distracted from constant hunger by spreading out each daily food ration by using puzzle feeders, slow feeders, or scattering the food around one’s yard so it takes longer to eat.
Finding a more satisfying nutrient food composition may help too.
This research shows how similar dogs are to humans genetically. Focusing on this particular gene has led to a big advance in understanding how our brain can control our eating behaviour and energy use. I would add that there may be emotional factors, especially with people that lead to over eating.
It also seems that the majority of dogs are highly food motivated, but usually satisfied following a meal. However, there are fussy canine eaters.
A big mistake is to give a dog some of your food when eating; once can be enough to create a drooling, long term, begging behaviour that is hard to ignore and stop.
