It shouldn't be much of a surprise that 36% of dogs gained weight during the pandemic in 2020 when 61% of Americans reported undesired weight changes during that time.
One Vet conducted a survey of 2,430 pet owners across 42 states in September of 2021 to determine which state has the most overweight pets.
Due to a low number of survey responses, Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming were not included in the research.
One Vet had people give their dog's breed and weight so they could compare that to the AKC-recommended weight chart for each specific breed. That allowed them to figure out the average number of pounds the pet is overweight by in each state.
The national average amount overweight for all pets sat at 11.83 pounds.
Coming in at No. 1 for the state with the plumpest pets was Pennsylvania, with an average of 18.25 pounds overweight. Virginia (16.67 pounds), Wisconsin (16.38 pounds), Georgia (16.18 pounds), and West Virginia (15.66 pounds) rounded out the top five.
Pennsylvania dogs weighed over 54% above the national average.
Idaho was the state with the lowest average amount overweight at 6.90 pounds, 42% under the national average. Other states with low averages included Missouri (7.20 pounds), Texas (8.21 pounds), Maryland (8.58 pounds), and Arkansas (8.74 pounds).
One Vet also used their research to determine which state had the most overweight male and female pets. There were some familiar states on these lists, including the state with the highest average amount overweight for male pets: Wisconsin at 20.67 pounds. While West Virginia took the crown for highest average amount overweight for female pets at 21.40 pounds.
Georgia male pets weighed an average of 20.23 pounds overweight, while Connecticut female pets were overweight by an average of 19.13 pounds Pennsylvania came in third for both male and female pets, at 18.87 pounds for males and 17.63 pounds for females.
By having pet owners give their breed of dog, One Vet was able to determine which breed is the most overweight on average compared to the AKC recommended weight. Bulldogs were the heaviest by an average of 11.4 pounds. Beagles, Pugs, Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Maltese, and Yorkshire terriers were among the most common overweight dogs.
Despite being one of the top breeds prone to obesity, Labrador retrievers did not make the list.
One Vet recommends to check with your vet if your pet is experiencing rapid of unexpected weight gain. Feeding them the proper amount of food and taking them on walks are beneficial for a healthy pet. Similar to humans, a couple extra pounds likely won't harm the pet, but excess weight can cause serious health problems.
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