Pet obesity is a significant and growing problem, especially in developed pet food markets; in the US alone, 59% of dogs and 61% of cats are considered overweight or obese, according to a 2022 report by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.
A recent study on the use of specific strains of probiotics may show promise in addressing pet obesity, at least in dogs in this case. While the usual disclaimer of “more research is needed” certainly applies here, it’s worth watching to see if a popular nutritional/health product category — probiotics — proves to offer answers. It is also interesting to consider the possible parallels in human weight and obesity.
Probiotics studies offer insights into research models for humans
In a study on probiotics and canine obesity, researchers at the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Science, at Seoul National University, Korea, identified two strains that appeared to reduce weight in obese dogs. To evaluate the probiotic ability of the strains, the researchers used a lifespan analysis of Caenorhabditis elegans. “C. elegans is a well-established genetic model with the advantage of relatively simple genetic editing and a shorter life expectancy than other animal models,” they wrote in their paper, published in the Microbiology Spectrum journal.
The positive results not only show that the use of two probiotic strains can benefit obese dogs; the use of C. elegans also offer potential applications for “interventions aimed at improving metabolic health in various mammals,” the researchers said. That can include cats and other mammal pets, as well as humans, because C. elegans “serves as a human homolog model.”
So, just as research on cancer in dogs yields information of possible use for treating cancer in humans (and vice versa), this can be an area of study that benefits many species. So far, research on the use of probiotics to help people lose weight has produced mixed results. “While good bacteria help you break down nutrients and get energy from your food, there is no clear evidence that taking a probiotic supplement or eating foods containing probiotics will help you lose weight,” read a January 2024 overview article on WebMD.
The way bacteria affect weight is still not fully understood, the article said; and although some studies have shown that some strains can slow weight gain, others can reduce waste size and others can help with weight loss, some researchers did not find a connection between bacteria and weight. Other caveats include that in some studies showing weight loss in people taking probiotics, participants also pursued other weight loss strategies such as restricting calories or increasing physical activity.
Is responding to cravings the key to responding to weight loss?
Of course, when it comes to weight loss in people these days, the focus (some might say hype) is on drugs originally developed to treat diabetes that have also been shown to help limit food cravings and lead to to dramatic weight loss. The discovery that these drugs can significantly help people lose weight seems to be the main, if not the only, reason for prescribing and taking them.
It’s tempting to wonder if a similar medication protocol might be on the horizon for overweight or obese pets, though this may be implausible and even ill-advised. However the craving angle may provide another potential area for research in pets.
Although most pets don’t choose or serve themselves their own food (save for the occasional break in a bag or stealing food from the counter), some dogs and cats seem more eager. in food than others. Labradors, for example, are notorious for being chowhounds and, thus, prone to being overweight or obese. My cat, Deacon, used to follow the same profile, until old age and digestive health problems started to diminish his appetite.
It is well known that pet owners giving in to the begging, whining or big, sad eyes of their pets often leads to overfeeding. In a 2023 study of more than 600 US dog owners conducted by Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, from 54% to 75% agreed that they feed their dogs more food, table scraps or treats when the dogs beg, believe that food is the main source of their dogs’ happiness or feel guilty when their dogs seem hungry. This, despite 88% of respondents being concerned about the body condition of their pets and 92% believing that weight loss would be beneficial.
Promise for more benefits and success
These are still early days in terms of obesity research, even on the human side to some extent. (For example, medical experts aren’t entirely sure how diabetes drugs work to reduce weight in humans.) But studies of probiotics in dogs show promise; hopefully this will lead to more positive findings and benefits towards tackling pet obesity.
