Abstract

Obesity is a big concern in dogs since it’s an epidemic condition increasing last decades. The disease is defined as the excessive storage of fat in the body by due the consumption of large amounts of food. The over food intake or inadequate energy usage may cause a positive energy balance. Several factors may predispose dogs to obesity such as breed, age, genetics, sex, reproductive status, diet, environment, dog’s physical activity and owner habits may be related. In addition, it is linked to decreased longevity and several other diseases such as cardiomyopathy, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, hyper adrenocorticism and hypothyroidism. The fat tissue triggers an inflammatory response, activating immune cell response to produce inflammatory cytokines and oxygen reactive species increasing oxidative stress. Due the importance and the impact this disease has on the animal’s quality of life, this systematic review aims to contribute describing main mechanisms of the inflammatory process of adipose tissue in obesity.

Keywords: Endocrinopathy; Cytokines; Inflammation; Little animals; Free radicals; Obesity; Oxidative stress