The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) have recently analysed data from 455,557 dogs in the UK to find out which issues have the highest welfare impact on our nations’ dogs.
RVC were looking into which conditions were the most common, which lasted the longest and which were the most severe – they then took all these factors into account and came up with a list of the top three conditions that owners should try to prevent in their dogs.
This UK wide study showed the conditions with the highest welfare impact overall are:
- obesity
- osteoarthritis
- dental disease
Dr Dan O’Neill, co-author of the research, said: “During my 20 years as a first opinion vet, owners constantly asked me to advise them about the most important conditions that they should try to prevent in their dogs. At that time, I could not answer this as it was unknown to science.
“We now have this answer; and we can now advise owners to focus on dental health, monitoring for joint disease and to pay special attention to their dogs body condition score. Finally, we have the key to prioritising long-term health in dogs overall.”
How can tails.com help?
Here at tails.com we’re focused on changing the world of pet food for good, and improving the lives of dogs and their owners. We believe that every dog deserves to live their happiest, healthiest life, for as long as possible and that’s why we make a unique recipe for every single dog in the taste they love, with the nutrition they need.
Feeding your dog tails.com can help combat these welfare impacting conditions in the following ways:
Obesity: serving the right portion
Tails.com can help your dog hit their ideal weight for good – we do exact portions, made easy with our handy scoop and bespoke feeding plan. Whether you’re sticking to kibble or feeding your dog a mix of wet food and dry, you’ll always know how much food to put in the bowl. And we’ll adjust their recipe and portion size as they age, so you never need to worry about it.
Osteoarthritis and joint support
We can help support painful, stiff or diseased joints in several ways to keep dogs happy and healthy for longer
- We can include Omega 3 fatty acids – clinically proven to reduce joint inflammation
- We can include various levels of glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM according to a dog’s needs
- A tails.com diet helps you to hit their ideal weight for good and ease pressure on sore joints
Dental Disease
We all know that the gold standard for dental care is brushing your dogs’ teeth every day, and if not daily, 2-3 times weekly to prevent plaque and calculus accumulation. Feeding dry food can also help to keep your dog’s mouth healthy by abrasive action as they crunch. Our Dental Dailies treats given each day have been shown to reduce the buildup of plaque and calculus over time too. They’re made with pumice for abrasion at the tooth surface level and are star-shaped to get into the interdental spaces for cleaner teeth and gums – a welcome aid to reduce plaque and tartar build-up that causes periodontal disease.
Sean McCormack, Head Vet at Tails.com says:
“We’ve long suspected that obesity, dental disease and osteoarthritis are three of the most significant issues affecting dog health, welfare and quality of life, but it’s excellent to have this backed up by solid evidence. One of the reasons I joined tails.com was that I could see the difference a diet tailored to the individual dog and a customer centric business could make in all three of these health categories.
Ultimately, as vets, it’s our duty to promote animal health and wellbeing, whilst maintaining quality of life. We hear from our customers every day about the difference we have made to their dogs’ lives, whether that’s in terms of weight control, easing painful joints or encouraging healthy dentition.”