Does pet obesity really affect lifespan?

I got my dog rail-thin from a pound and thus he's always hungry. He has been a bit obese ever since then -- but has lived to 12 with no signs of slowing up. Probably a typical dog his of his large breed would live 10-12 years. I could see him making 14 or so. Are there conclusive studies that say pet obesity affects lifespan? It's not like dogs have the same propensity for human conditions, such as heart attacks.

Obesity, even in an otherwise healthy dog, is often responsible for congestive heart failure, stroke, heart attacks, cancer, lung disease, diabetes, constipation, intestinal gas, anal gland problems and an impaired immune system. Obese dogs are much more likely to die during surgery, have hypertension, to develop skin problems, arthritis and spinal disk problems. Because of the high risk of developing disease, these dogs have a much shorter life span in general.
Dogs are considered overweight if they are carrying 10% more than their ideal weight. They are considered obese if they are carrying 20% extra weight.
Results from the Purina Life Span Study show that dogs that were maintained at 25% fewer calories than control dogs had a 15% longer median life span, or nearly two years for the Labrador Retrievers in this study.Some highlights from this study are as follows:
*Median life span of dogs in the lean-fed group was extended by 1.8 years (15%) beyond the control group
*The age when 50% of the lean-fed dogs required treatment for a chronic disease was 12 years of age vs. 9.9 years for the control group.
*The lean-fed group had lower serum triglycerides and triiodothyronine, and lower insulin and glucose responses
*The lean-fed group had a 2 year delay in the late-life loss of lean body mass compared to the control group. (The average onset of decline was 11 years vs. 9 years)
*As observed, the control dogs exhibited more visible signs of aging (graying around the muzzles, impaired gait, and reduced activity) than the lean-fed dogs.

Pet obesity is a lot like it is with humans...

Most of the time, it contributes to heart disease and related problems. It can significantly reduce the pet's lifespan.

However, just like humans, there are several cases where an obese cat can live a long life. It's the luck of the draw in many cases.

My first and favorite cat wound up being around 20 lbs., and he lived to be 15.

My dad has two comparatively thin cats who are approaching 14 and are much more active than he was.

well obesity can cause a lot of health problems. they can have heart attacks, strokes etc. just like humans. the extra weight also has an effect on their joints. our black lab is obese and has hip problems. the vet says that if she losses the weight then some of the pain she has in her hips will stop. with big dogs there seems to always be a problem with joints when they get older and are fatter.

absolutely there are studies showing dogs will die younger if obese. on average 2 years earlier. That's huge in dog years. I know 12 is old for a large breed dog but they are living longer and longer so he could live until 14. Plus the quality of life is so much greater. The weight puts strain on arthritic joints and old muscles.

yes it can. i known of dogs gettin heart attacks, and i had an overweight dalmation that ended up with diabetes and died from it. dogs can get diseases just like humans can, so keep your dogs in shape.

he could live 12-14 years.. however if he was in better shape he could live to his late teens or early 20's

Obesity affects dogs the same way it affects people.. its a strain on the heart and joints.

yes obesity in dogs can alter their life span by two or more years if it's a serious condition. (15 or more pounds overweight. )

Think about arthritis. Think about your dog's joints. Added weight will just stress these issues more. If you want your dog to be comfortable get it down to a healthy weight.