Are Michigan Pets Still Among the Fattest in America?

It looked like Michiganders loved their pets a little too much, according to previous studies. Did the humans of Michigan stop spoiling their pets with too many treats?

Michigan ranked surprisingly high in a previous study comparing the numbers of overweight dogs and cats by state.  In fact, the Midwest was full of chunky pets. Before we dive into the latest numbers, let's take a look at the previous rankings.
Before the pandemic, the Banfield Pet Hospital research team analyzed data from more than 2.5 million dogs and half a million cats across their hospitals.

The rankings below are based on the percentage of dogs considered overweight.  Michigan's dog population is estimated at 34,166. A whopping 38% of them were big, adorable nuggets.  The U.S. average is 31%.

Get our free mobile app

Top 10 States With the Fattest Dogs

1. Minnesota: 41%
2. Nebraska: 39%
3. Michigan: 38%
4. Idaho: 38%
5. Nevada: 36%
6. New Mexico: 34%
7. Washington: 34%
8. Utah: 34%
9. Indiana: 34%
10. Oregon: 34%

Michigan's estimated cat population is 7,997.  39% of our state's felines were too chubby.  The U.S. average is 34%.

Top 10 States With the Fattest Cats

1. Minnesota: 46%
2. Nebraska: 43%
3. Iowa: 42%
4. Idaho: 40%
5. Delaware: 39%
6. Michigan: 39%
7. Nevada: 38%
8. Kansas: 38%
9. Utah: 37%
10. New Mexico: 37%

A more recent survey was published by Total Vet.  This survey had far fewer people/pets surveyed,  2,430. This survey looks much better for both Michigan and Indiana.

Top 10 States With the Fattest Dogs

1. Pennsylvania: 18.25 pounds overweight
2. Virginia: 16.67 pounds overweight
3. Wisconsin: 16.38 pounds overweight
4. Georgia: 16.18 pounds overweight
5. West Virginia: 15.66 pounds overweight
6. Connecticut: 15.54 pounds overweight
7. New Hampshire: 14.23 pounds overweight
8. New York: 14.03 pounds overweight
9. Nebraska: 13.73 pounds overweight
10. Tennessee: 13.33 pounds overweight

Michigan dogs averaged 12.78 pounds overweight. That places Michigan at number 12. Dogs in Indiana averaged about 11.5 pounds overweight.

There were a couple more surprising facts in this survey.  For example, every state's dogs averaged at least 6.9 pounds overweight.  Zero states came in under the overweight line.

Also, on average, male dogs in Michigan aren't doing so great.  When you break it down by gender, Michigan has the 7th fattest dogs on average.  The newer survey did not include cats.

We love our pets. Of course, we're going to spoil them with the food they love and extra treats for being cute.  However, obesity leads to a shorter life span.  That's less time with our furry family members.  Huffpost.com explains that a simple lifestyle change can make a big difference,

Feeding your pet the right number of calories is crucial, and a vet can help you determine what that number should be. But it’s also important to get your pet moving. For dogs, that might mean going for a walk or throwing a ball around, and for cats it can mean playing with interactive toys they can chase.

So, I guess this means less TikTok scrolling and more walking our dogs.