The connection between obesity and certain cancers has been growing for the past several decades. Colorectal and stomach cancer, uterine, breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women, kidney, esophageal, pancreatic, thyroid, and multiple myeloma are all related to obesity in humans. Obesity and physical inactivity are thought to be responsible for 25 to 30 percent of major cancers. From these statistics alone, we can infer obese dogs and cats could be more likely to develop cancer.

If you're not sure what your dog's body should look like, reference a body condition score chart or talk to your veterinarian. It might be difficult to tell depending on your dog's breed. 

Fortunately, you can get an idea by looking at a body condition score chart.

You may use the body condition score chart to determine whether your dog is underweight, normal weight, or overweight. The majority of the time, you can predict by considering the following information:

Underweight: You’re able to see your dog’s ribs, vertebrae, pelvic bones and/or other bones from a distance. You don’t see much muscle or fat.

Just right: You can feel the ribs, but there is some fat covering them. You’re able to see your dog’s waist from above. And, their abdomen is tucked up when you look from the side.

Overweight: There are different stages of obesity, but if your dog is significantly overweight, there will be too much fat covering the ribs to feel them. There will be a lot of fat near the base of their tail. You won’t be able to see your dog’s waist from above. And, their abdomen won’t be tucked when you view your dog from the side.

There isn't a definitive assertion that "this is the exact cause of cancer." Researchers are unsure why obesity may be one of the many factors contributing to cancer in our dogs. We do, however, have a theory as to why obese dogs are at a higher risk.

A substance called adiponectin is produced by fat cells.  Adiponectin protects against cancer by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.

Still, that doesn't make sense; you'd assume that if there's more fat, there'll be more adiponectin, and therefore a lower cancer risk. But that isn't the case.

When there is too much fat contained in the body, less adiponectin is secreted. When fat is used to fuel the body, more adiponectin is produced. As a result, leaner dogs have a lower risk of developing cancer.


The Metabolic Pathway: Cancer Has a Sweet Tooth for Glucose

Chemical energy is needed for every living cell in the body to work. Metabolism is the mechanism by which cells create the energy they need. Dogs, like humans, can obtain chemical energy from a variety of biochemical sources (via various "metabolic pathways"), such as glucose, fatty acids, and ketone bodies. 

Which fuel source a cell uses is determined by factors such as the cell's location in the body, the relative availability of different fuel sources, and the body's oxygen supply. As a result, we can regulate the degree to which our dogs' healthy cells depend on glucose for energy by adjusting their diets and everyday activities (as opposed to other fuel sources like fatty acids and ketone bodies).

Cancer cells, on the other hand, are unique. Unlike most healthy cells, cancer cells must rely solely on glucose to power their rapid proliferation, regardless of the availability of oxygen or other metabolic fuel sources. 

Cancer cells replicate rapidly and uncontrollably, and the only way they can keep up is if they have access to a hot-burning, high-octane metabolic fuel source. And there's only one kind of fuel: glucose.

So, how does this peculiar metabolic trait relate to canine obesity?
Blood glucose plays a key role in the development of obesity.


When dogs (and other mammals) consume carbohydrates, the carbohydrates are converted to glucose and excreted into the bloodstream. The first step in the primary biochemical chain of events that contributes to fat growth is the infusion of glucose into the bloodstream. As a result, carbs, not dietary fats, are the primary cause of obesity in our dogs.

In other words, while the adipokine theory has determined that body fat plays a role in cancer, the metabolic model suggests that excessive carbohydrate consumption and obesity both contribute to increased cancer risk. 

There is not a definite cause of cancer as cancer can be caused by a variety of factors including food intake, obesity, environmental factors, and genetics. But, there are ways to reduce the risks our dogs face when it comes to cancer development. The bottom line is that obesity increases the risk of cancer. By keeping our dogs lean and eating a well-balanced, healthy diet, we can greatly decrease their risk of developing cancer.


Sources:
https://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/ajvr.68.4.389?journalCode=ajvr
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0300985815579994
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16570048/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18971125/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17397294/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2018024/


The connection between <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/obesity">obesity</a> and certain cancers has been growing for the past several decades. Colorectal and stomach cancer, uterine, breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women, kidney, esophageal, pancreatic, thyroid, and multiple myeloma are all related to <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/obesity">obesity</a> in humans. <a href="https://feedreal.com/glossary/obesity">Obesity</a> and physical inactivity are thought to be responsible for 25 to 30 percent of major cancers. From these statistics alone, we can infer obese dogs and cats could be more likely to develop cancer.

The Connection Between Dog Obesity and Cancer

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