BVA calls on dog owners not to overfeed pets in 2015

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has called on UK dog owners to do more to ensure their pets retain a healthy body weight and dietary habits.

Obesity and excess weight are prevailing health issues among pet dogs among Britain, due to owners overfeeding them inappropriate food items or failing to provide them with enough opportunities for exercise.

A recent BVA survey indicated that 95 percent of companion animal vets believe better weight control would have a significant impact on canine health and welfare, while two-thirds believe a change in diet would also be beneficial.

As such, the organisation issued a series of tips to pet owners to help them get their animals active, including going for more walks, providing dogs with toys rather than treats, improving their diets and speaking to vets about health issues.

BVA president John Blackwell said: "More and more practices are seeing pets brought in suffering from the consequences of poor weight control, from mobility and breathing problems to cardiovascular conditions."

This could be particularly important following the recent Christmas period, which is likely to have seen many dogs consuming festive foods that are bad or dangerous for them, including chocolate, turkey bones, onions and garlic.