研究发现，体重超标的狗寿命较短

研究发现，体重超标的狗寿命较短

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.

你心爱的宠物狗最近是不是看起来有点胖?也许是时候少吃点了。众所周知，超重会影响人类的长期健康，但最近的一项研究表明，超重的狗寿命也更短。

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.

利物浦大学和玛氏宠物护理公司的宠物营养中心的研究人员警告说，体重超标的狗的寿命比保持理想体重的狗短大约两年半。专家说，考虑到美国每三只狗中就有一只超重，这可能会给48%的美国家庭和26%至少养一只狗的家庭带来麻烦。更糟糕的是，许多主人并不知道他们的宠物已经体重。

“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.”

主人们通常不知道他们的狗超重了，许多人可能没有意识到它对健康的影响。他们可能不知道的是,如果他们心爱的宠物太重了,他们更有可能遭受其他问题,如关节疾病,呼吸问题,和某些类型的癌症,以及贫穷的生活质量,”Alex德国研究的合著者说,利物浦大学的小动物医学教授,在一份声明中说。“这些健康和幸福问题会显著影响他们的寿命。”

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.

研究人员通过从900多50000只狗在兽医诊所的医疗记录，发现在美国最受欢迎的12个品种:吉娃娃,波美拉尼亚人,约克郡犬、西施犬,美国可卡犬,小猎犬,腊肠,拳击手,斗牛犬、德国牧羊犬、金毛猎犬和拉布拉多寻回犬。

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.

他们发现，所有品种的超重狗一般寿命都较短，但不同品种的狗寿命差异更大。体重较轻的是德国牧羊犬、金毛寻回犬和拉布拉多犬，如果体重过重，它们的寿命一般会缩短6至8个月。相反，超重的约克犬、波美拉尼亚犬、比格犬和达克斯猎犬的寿命要短两年到两年半。

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.

这项研究确实调查了狗超重的原因，但作者指出，最近的一项调查发现，如果狗狗要求，54%的主人总是或经常喂它们。此外，22%的养狗和养猫的人称，有时他们会为了让宠物开心而过量喂食。

“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.”

“对很多主人来说，送出食物，尤其是美味的餐后残羹剩饭，是我们表达爱的方式。”小心你喂你的狗吃什么可以让他们保持良好的状态，并使他们在未来的许多年，”德国说。“令人担忧的是，据估计，只有五分之一的宠物主人总是衡量他们给宠物喂了多少食物，五分之四(87%)的人总是或经常只是估计他们认为宠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.

除了考虑给宠物适当的喂食量外，专家建议确保主人给狗狗足够的锻炼。定期给宠物称重也是个好主意，这样可以跟踪宠物的体重变化。

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

这项研究发表在《兽医内科学杂志》上。