Labradors are one of the longest-living breeds, so they’re generally healthy for most of their lives. However, a labrador’s lifespan might change if overweight or unhealthy in other ways.
Overweight labs usually live approximately 2.5 years less than an average and healthy-sized labrador. Since the average lifespan of a healthy labrador is 12 years, the average lifespan of an overweight labrador is generally around 9.5 years. Obesity in labradors can lead to cancer and heart disease.
The rest of this article will discuss the topic of overweight labradors in greater detail. It’ll also discuss how being obese can affect a labrador in other ways and how to prevent your labrador from becoming overweight.
Why Overweight Labradors Don’t Live as Long as Healthy Labradors
Overweight labradors generally don’t live as long as healthy labradors. As mentioned, healthy labradors have an average lifespan of 12 years, and overweight labradors typically lose out on 2.5 years of their lives if they’re overweight. So, it’s essential to keep your labrador as healthy and fit as possible.
– Overweight Labradors Have a Higher Chance of Illness
Like humans, labradors can also have complications related to obesity. Therefore, it’s essential to keep your labrador active and feed it a healthy, balanced diet.
Some of the illnesses labradors can experience due to obesity include:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Osteoarthritis
- Bladder stones
All the above conditions can be detrimental to your labrador’s health and significantly shorten a labrador’s lifespan. You should keep a close eye on your overweight labrador as there will be a higher chance of illness.
How To Tell If My Labrador Is Overweight
You can tell whether your labrador is overweight by looking at it and examining its body. If your labrador has a wide, round shape with no definition, it’s likely to be overweight. Your labrador could also be overweight if it gets out of breath quickly after doing a small amount of exercise.
Now, I’m going to discuss in greater detail the main things to look out for to determine whether your labrador is overweight or not.
– Your Lab Is Panting More Than Normal
If your labrador is panting after a small amount of exercise, it’s likely overweight. It’s normal for labradors to pant after doing strenuous exercise or if the weather is hot. However, panting after a short walk isn’t normal.
Overweight humans pant even more than healthier humans, and it’s the same for dogs. Once you start bringing your labrador out for more walks and feeding it a nutritious diet, you should slowly notice the panting subsiding.
– Your Lab’s Body Shape Is Rounder
Body shape is another tell-tale sign of an overweight labrador. Most healthy labradors will have some definition to their bodies, but an overweight one won’t. You’ll notice the body is more round, and the skin might be looser than a healthy dog’s skin.
Additionally, you won’t be able to feel your labrador’s ribs if it’s overweight. In healthy labradors, you can feel the ribs easily when you press down.
– Overweight Labs Are Often Sluggish
You may be able to tell by your dog’s behavior whether it’s overweight or not. Overweight labradors are often sluggish. They’ll lay around all day and won’t want to walk around much, but they’ll eat a lot of food.
If your dog is acting sluggish, it’s essential to start immediately bringing it for more walks. You should also manage your labrador’s diet. If you’re unsure how much food you should give your lab, it’s best to ask a vet.
How To Prevent Labrador From Becoming Overweight
To prevent your labrador from becoming overweight, you should feed it a healthy and balanced diet. It’s also essential to keep your labrador active to keep it at a healthy weight. Labradors are generally energetic dogs, so bringing them out for walks will be an enjoyable experience for them.
Labradors are high-energy and love to keep active, so it’s essential to keep them occupied and busy as much as possible. Not only is it good for their mental health, but it’s also good for their physical health.
Bringing your lab on a walk every day will significantly decrease the chances of becoming overweight or obese. A simple walk around the park or the block is an excellent way for you and your dog to get some exercise (and bonding time) together!
You should also ensure you’re feeding your lab a balanced diet. There’s not much use in bringing it for walks if you’re going to over-feed. So, choosing the right portions is also crucial in preventing obesity in your labrador.
It may be a good idea to feed your labrador wet food if it’s trying to lose weight because wet food keeps dogs fuller for longer. Wet food is more filling than dry food because it contains a high water content, which helps fill the stomach for long periods.
Can an Overweight Labrador Lose Weight?
An overweight labrador can lose weight by increasing exercise and planning a healthy (and safe) diet. Give your labrador at least one hour of exercise every day if you want it to lose weight and get healthy. Feeding your lab wet food is also an excellent way to promote weight loss.
Although a labrador can lose weight, it’s not always an easy process. The average weight of a healthy labrador should be between 55 and 75 pounds (24.95 and 34.02 kg), so you should weigh your lab.
You can create a weight loss goal once you know precisely how heavy your lab is. The most important thing is that you don’t rush the process. If you overexert your lab, it can experience several problems, such as back injury, joint injury, and respiratory problems.
Easing into the fitness plan is the best way to do it. It’s the safest way to do it, and it also keeps your lab comfortable without getting overexerted.
– Start With Short Walks and Slowly Build It Up
To help your overweight lab lose weight, start with a few short walks in one day rather than one long walk. Consider going on three 15 to 20-minute walks for the first few weeks. This gives your lab a chance to rest and rejuvenate before the next walk, and it also gives the muscles a chance to relax.
If your dog hasn’t been active in a long time, bringing it on a long walk straight away will be uncomfortable and unenjoyable. It’s also good to start slowly and work up the speed as the weeks go by.
– Bring Water on Walks
For the first few weeks, your dog will find it strenuous to go on so many walks. It’ll likely get thirsty quickly, so you should bring some water every time you go out. Dehydration can be detrimental to your dog’s health, so this step is essential.
Conclusion
Overweight labradors live around 2.5 years less than healthy labradors on average, which makes the average lifespan of an overweight labrador approximately 9.5 years. However, there are ways to prevent your lab from becoming overweight and help it lose weight.
Here are the most important things to remember:
- Overweight labradors live an average of 9.5 years.
- Overweight labradors are more susceptible to diseases and illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease.
- Wet food is good for dogs who need to lose weight.
- To help your lab lose weight healthily, ease into exercise to prevent injury.