If your Labrador is fat you might want to know why and what you can do about it. This post will show you common causes and what you can do about them.
So, why is my Labrador so fat? Possible reasons are that it is eating things that it shouldn’t be, it might be eating too much of the right foods, a lack of exercise, illness or it could be genetically big.
There are actually a number of reasons why your Labrador might be fat and it could be a combination of reasons. However, there are also a number of things that you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are many things you can do about it.
Why your Labrador is so fat
Below are some common causes of Labradors being fat and what would make them more likely to be the reason why yours is fat.
An issue with its diet
The cause could be that there is a problem with the diet that it is getting. It might be the case that it is eating the wrong foods, too much of the right foods, someone might be feeding it without you knowing or it might be eating things it finds without you knowing. It would help to consult with your vet to confirm that it is eating the right foods and that you have been feeding it the right amount of calories.
It would also help to make sure that there are not any opportunities for it to eat things it shouldn’t be and that no one else is feeding it without you knowing. You can look here to see what you should be feeding it.
It’s not getting enough exercise
Labradors are meant to get daily exercise. When Labradors do not get enough exercise it can cause them to become fat.
Generally, it is advised for them to get at least an hour of exercise per day as healthy adults. If your Labrador has not been getting that much and it is healthy it would help to make sure that it does.
Illness or injury
The reason could be that it has gotten an illness or injury. If it is ill or injured it might not be being as active as normal but if it is eating the same amount it will cause it to start putting on weight.
This would be more likely to be the reason if your Labrador has become fat suddenly and if it has been showing signs of being ill or injured such as by being fatigued or limping. If it does seem like it might be ill or injured the best option would be to take it to a vet.
Age
As Labradors become older they will become less active. If your Labrador has gradually gotten fatter as it has become older it could be because it is not getting as much exercise as it did in the past but it is still eating the same amounts.
In this case, it would help to confirm with your local vet that you are still feeding it the right amounts.
Genes
It could be the case that it is genetically predisposed to being large. This would be more likely if your vet has not noticed any issues in checkups and if it has always been fat and it has not come on suddenly.
Consider if it has always been fat
If your Labrador has not always been fat, it would help to consider what else happened when it first became fat.
If it has become fat suddenly, it would be more likely to be due to things such as a change in its diet, illness, injury or suddenly getting less exercise.
Whereas, if it has always been fat it would make it more likely to be genetic especially if your vet has not found any issues. But, it could still be the case that it has not been getting enough exercise or that it has been getting the wrong diet.
How to get your Labrador to be less fat
Below are a number of things you can do about your Labrador being fat. The best option will depend on the most likely cause of it being fat but you can use a combination of them.
Make sure that it is eating the right foods
It would help to make sure that your Labrador is eating the foods that it is meant to be. You can look here to see foods that dogs can and can’t eat. It would also help to make sure that no one else is feeding it and that it doesn’t have access to things that it might be eating as well. It would also help to talk to your vet about what it should be eating.
Make sure that it is eating the right amount of calories for its activity levels
It would also help to make sure that it is eating the right amount of calories for its size, age and activity levels. The exact amount that your Labrador will need will depend on many factors. It would help to ask your vet about how much you should be feeding it when you next see them.
Give it exercise
As mentioned above, it is important for Labradors to get daily exercise. If yours has not been getting much exercise and it is a healthy adult, it would help to give it more daily. It is generally advised for them to get at least an hour of exercise per day.
Take it to a vet
If you’re are unsure why it has become fat, it has become fat suddenly or it has been showing signs of being ill or injured, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so, you should be able to rule out medical causes and to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Labrador.