研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，體重超標的狗壽命較短

研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，體重超標的狗壽命較短

Does your beloved pet pooch seem a little pudgy lately? It may be time to cut back on the treats. While it’s no secret that carrying extra weight can impact a human’s longterm health, a recent study reveals that overweight dogs tend to live shorter lives, too.

你心愛的寵物狗最近是不是看起來有點胖?也許是時候少吃點了。眾所周知，超重會影響人類的長期健康，但最近的一項研究表明，超重的狗壽命也更短。

Researchers from the University of Liverpool and Mars Petcare’s WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition warn that overweight dogs have lifespans about two-and-a-half years shorter than dogs that maintain an ideal weight. That could spell trouble for the 48% of American households and 26% that own at least one dog, considering one in three dogs in the country is overweight, experts say. To make matters worse, many owners don’t know that their pet exceeds the recommended weight for its respective breed.

利物浦大學(xué)和瑪氏寵物護理公司的寵物營養(yǎng)中心的研究人員警告說，體重超標的狗的壽命比保持理想體重的狗短大約兩年半。專家說，考慮到美國每三只狗中就有一只超重，這可能會給48%的美國家庭和26%至少養(yǎng)一只狗的家庭帶來麻煩。更糟糕的是，許多主人并不知道他們的寵物已經(jīng)體重。

“Owners are often unaware that their dog is overweight, and many may not realize the impact that it can have on health. What they may not know is that, if their beloved pet is too heavy, they are more likely to suffer from other problems such as joint disease, breathing issues, and certain types of cancer, as well as having a poorer quality of life,” says study co-author Alex German, a professor of small animal medicine at the University of Liverpool, in a statement. “These health and wellbeing issues can significantly impact how long they live.”

主人們通常不知道他們的狗超重了，許多人可能沒有意識到它對健康的影響。他們可能不知道的是,如果他們心愛的寵物太重了,他們更有可能遭受其他問題,如關(guān)節(jié)疾病,呼吸問題,和某些類型的癌癥,以及貧窮的生活質(zhì)量,”Alex德國研究的合著者說,利物浦大學(xué)的小動物醫(yī)學(xué)教授,在一份聲明中說。“這些健康和幸福問題會顯著影響他們的壽命。”

For the study, researchers reviewed medical records from more than 50,000 dogs treated at 900 veterinary clinics predominantly across the U.S. They limited their sample to 12 of the most popular breeds: Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Yorkshire Terrier, Shih Tzu, American Cocker Spaniel, Beagle, Dachshund, Boxer, Pit Bull, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, and Labrador Retriever.

研究人員通過從900多50000只狗在獸醫(yī)診所的醫(yī)療記錄，發(fā)現(xiàn)在美國最受歡迎的12個品種:吉娃娃,波美拉尼亞人,約克郡犬、西施犬,美國可卡犬,小獵犬,臘腸,拳擊手,斗牛犬、德國牧羊犬、金毛獵犬和拉布拉多尋回犬。

They found that overweight dogs across all breeds generally lived shorter lives, though the effect was particularly worse depending on the breed. On the low end of the scale were German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Labs, which tended to live about six to eight months less if they were overweight. Conversely, overweight Yorkies, Pomeranians, Beagles, and Dachshunds lived anywhere from two years to two-and-a-half years less.

他們發(fā)現(xiàn)，所有品種的超重狗一般壽命都較短，但不同品種的狗壽命差異更大。體重較輕的是德國牧羊犬、金毛尋回犬和拉布拉多犬，如果體重過重，它們的壽命一般會縮短6至8個月。相反，超重的約克犬、波美拉尼亞犬、比格犬和達克斯獵犬的壽命要短兩年到兩年半。

The study did examine the causes behind dogs being overweight, but the authors point to a recent survey that found 54% of people always or often feed their pet if they beg for it. Moreover, 22% of dog and cat owners say sometimes they overfeed their pets just to keep them happy.

這項研究確實調(diào)查了狗超重的原因，但作者指出，最近的一項調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn)，如果狗狗要求，54%的主人總是或經(jīng)常喂它們。此外，22%的養(yǎng)狗和養(yǎng)貓的人稱，有時他們會為了讓寵物開心而過量喂食。

“For many owners, giving food, particularly tasty table scraps and tidbits, is the way we show affection for our pets. Being careful about what you feed your dog could go a long way to keeping them in good shape and enabling them to be around for many years to come,” says German. “Worryingly, it is estimated only one in five pet owners always measures how much food they are giving their pet, with four in five (87%) always or often simply estimating the amount of food they think their pet needs at each serving.”

“對很多主人來說，送出食物，尤其是美味的餐后殘羹剩飯，是我們表達愛的方式。”小心你喂你的狗吃什么可以讓他們保持良好的狀態(tài)，并使他們在未來的許多年，”德國說。“令人擔憂的是，據(jù)估計，只有五分之一的寵物主人總是衡量他們給寵物喂了多少食物，五分之四(87%)的人總是或經(jīng)常只是估計他們認為寵物每次需要多少食物。”

In addition to considering appropriate feeding amounts for pets, experts suggest ensuring owners give their dogs plenty of exercise. It also may be a good idea to weigh your pets regularly to keep track of any fluctuations.

除了考慮給寵物適當?shù)奈故沉客?，專家建議確保主人給狗狗足夠的鍛煉。定期給寵物稱重也是個好主意，這樣可以跟蹤寵物的體重變化。

The study is published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

這項研究發(fā)表在《獸醫(yī)內(nèi)科學(xué)雜志》上。