VN February 2023

Vetnews | February 2023 41 Adiponectin is also produced and secreted exclusively fromadipose tissue in humans, dogs, and cats. Adiponectin has been considered a beneficial adipokine because it improves insulin sensitivity by enhancing fat and carbohydrate oxidation in peripheral tissues, suppressing hepatic gluconeogenesis, and inhibiting inflammatory responses. Adiponectin concentrations decrease with obesity have been observed in dogs with experimentally induced, and clinical Obesity 22 and adiponectin resistance also develop in obesity. Inflammatory cytokines such asTNF-a and IL-6 arepro-inflammatory cytokines required to activate the immune system in response to infection or cancer. However, overproduction of these cytokines has been considered a risk factor in obesity-associated metabolic syndromes, such as insulin resistance and osteoarthritis 23 . *References available on request Metabolic abnormalities Endocrinopathies 15 (Obesity is implicated as a direct cause of endocrine alterations whichmay be corrected by weight reduction) Orthopaedic disorders Cardiorespiratory disease Urogenital system Neoplasia Functional alterations Hyperlipidemia Hyperadrenocorticism Osteoarthritis (A restrictive diet may be used to both prevent and treat obesity and to delay onset of species-specific degenerative diseases, especially osteoarthritis in dogs 16 .) Exacerbates tracheal collapse Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (Obesity is not the only risk factor, with gonadectomy and LH disease itself also playing a major role 17 . Nevertheless, the effect of obesity is clear in some dogs that become incontinent only when they become obese. Further, weight reduction in overweight dogs with urinary sphincter mechanism incompetence may improve or be all that is required for continence to be restored.) Mammary neoplasia Joint disorders 18 Insulin resistance (Obesity decreases insulin sensitivity by approximately 50% and results in hyperinsulinemia in cats which may be reversed by weight reduction in cats 13 . Similarly, obese dogs also develop insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia and an increased risk developing type I diabetes 14 . Hypothyroidism Hip Dysplasia Exacerbates brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome Urolithiasis Transitional cell carcinoma Respiratory compromise, exercise intolerance and heat intolerance and heat stroke Hepatic lipidosis (cat) Diabetes mellitus Cranial cruciate ligament rupture Exacerbates dyspnoea associated with laryngeal paralysis Exacerbates recessed vagina and recurrent urinary tract infections Hypertension Intervertebral disk disease Dystocia 1 Increased anaesthetic risk Decreased lifespan 18