This Just In: Oregon Pets Are Way Fatter Than in Other States, and They Have More Fleas

34 percent of dogs and 37 percent of cats in Oregon are, on average, overweight or obese.

Oregon pets are plump.

Maybe it's the bad weather, maybe it's our high number of doggy hotels, or maybe it's that cats actually don't want to be walked around on a leash. But for whatever reason, pets are fatter in Oregon than most states in the country, according to Portland based veterinary chain Banfield's newly-released State of Pet Health 2017 Report.

Thirty-four percent of Oregon dogs and 37 percent of cats are overweight or obese.

We're not the fattest pet state—that honor goes to Minnesota, where 41 percent of dogs and 46 percent of cats are overweight. But in aggregate, Oregon dogs are 13 percent heavier than dogs in the rest of the country, while cats are 12 percent heavier.

According to the report, increased pet obesity—which has increased by 158 percent in dogs and 169 percent in cats over the last 10 years—can be attributed to overfeeding, lack of exercise and other diseases like arthritis. Feeding human food to pets also contributes to pet obesity. According to the authors of the study, an ounce of cheese has half a cat's entire recommended daily calorie intake, and one-third of the recommended intake for a small dog.

And for some reason, fleas in Oregon are much worse than in nearly every state. Washington pets face this same issue too. In both states, 18-19 percent of cats have fleas and 8 percent of dogs have fleas. The only state that even comes close is South Carolina, where 10 percent of dogs and 19 percent of cats have fleas.

In other findings, the study also tracked the most common breeds Oregonians own, and the most common names they give their pets. The most popular breeds are chihuahuas, followed by labrador retrievers, pit bulls, dachshunds and German shepherds.

The most common dog names in Oregon are Bella, Lucy, Max, Buddy and Charlie. The most common cat names are Luna, Lucy, Kitty, Oliver and Bella.

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