State of Pet Health Report finds rise in chronic diseases in pets

Banfield Pet Hospital, a veterinary practice chain, released its State of Pet Health 2012 Report, which found that certain chronic diseases in dogs and cats have risen drastically since 2007. 
The report, compiled by the Banfield Applied Research and Knowledge team, captured and analyzed medical data from nearly 2 million dogs and 430,000 cats that were cared for at one of Banfield's hospitals in 2011. The 2012 report shows overweight and obesity increased 37 percent in dogs and 90 percent in cats, while arthritis increased 38 percent in dogs and 67 percent in cats. Additionally, the report found that nearly half of arthritic dogs (40 percent) and more than one of three arthritic cats (37 percent) are also overweight; almost half of diabetic dogs (42 percent) and diabetic cats (40 percent) are overweight; and 40 percent of dogs with high blood pressure and 60 percent of dogs with hypothyroidism are also overweight. 
Banfield also recently conducted a survey of 2,000 dog and cat owners to better understand pet owner perceptions about pets' chronic diseases and the measures they should take to keep their pets healthy. Although the 2012 report shows an increase in chronic diseases, just 36 percent of dog owners and 28 percent of cat owners said they would take their pet to see a veterinarian to manage an existing disease or condition. 
“As outlined in this year’s State of Pet Health Report, chronic diseases are on the rise, and as a profession, we need to continually focus on regular preventive care and early disease detection,” said Ron DeHaven, DVM, chairman, CEO, American Veterinary Medical Association and chairman, Partnership for Preventive Pet Healthcare. “The primary reason we formed the Partnership for Preventive Pet Healthcare was to help veterinarians understand and communicate the importance of regular preventive care for pets. We are pleased that Banfield is both a founding partner and a primary supporter of the PPPH, and that they are committed to sharing this valuable information in an effort to help us achieve our mission.”