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Dogs face an ­obesity epidemic like humans and are at risk of being killed with kindness.

A worrying 90 per cent of owners don’t know how many calories their pets should have and give treats to pleading pooches .

Some 29 per cent fail to measure portions and 20 per cent can’t tell if their dog is fat, a survey by pet food manufacturer tails.com also found.

To make matters worse, 13 per cent of owners lie to their vets about their pets’ eating habits.

Vet Sean McCormack warns that dogs can get diabetes, arthritis and joint problems by eating too much.

(Image: Getty)

He said: “We are in danger of killing our dogs with kindness. Depending on the breed, overfeeding them can cut life-span from 14 to just ten years.”

He stressed the importance of ­portion control, by measuring meals with a scoop or scales, and a feeding programme depending on a dog’s age, breed and activity levels.

While the pet’s vet usually weighs them and is the best person to ask for advice, owners also need to focus on key areas – ribs, waist and tummy.

Sean recommends owners check their pet regularly, starting by running their fingers over their dog’s ribs.

He said they should be easy to feel and covered by a thin layer of muscle or fat. If they are very visible that’s a sign of being underweight.

(Image: Getty)

Sean said from the side the tummy should tuck up from the bottom of the rib cage up to the groin or hip area and not hang down or be the same distance from the ground as the chest.

The waist area, seen from above, should taper from behind the rib cage to the hips. If it’s wider and the dog is barrel-shaped they are overweight.

Sean warned of the risks of feeding dogs human food at Christmas, ­particularly chocolate, nuts, grapes and raisins that can be toxic for animals.

Sean said: “It’s tempting to treat your dog but just because they’re giving us puppy dog eyes doesn’t mean they’re hungry. We need to try to resist this. Make sure they are walked as regularly as usual so they don’t gain weight.”

Earlier in the week, Mirror Online reported on a woman who keeps a fox as a pet and said 'he’s like a cross between a cat and a dog'.

Mum-of-four Natalie Reynolds hand-reared her unusual pet Jasper after he was abandoned as a cub.

And now their bright eyed and bushy tailed companion lives happily alongside her young children, three dogs and a cat .

(Image: SWNS.com)

(Image: SWNS.com)

Natalie has defended her decision to keep Jasper as a pet - and told how she even walks it on a lead.

The 35-year-old, who also has three dogs and a cat, added: “He’s like a cross between a cat and a dog. He’s part of the pack.

“The dogs chase him around, he loves the cat but the cat isn’t too fond of him.

“I always walk him on the lead - he’s so domesticated. A lot of people look down their noses at you. Some people are disgusted but most people are good about it.

“I’ve been told they are very versatile and that he could be released back into the wild but their average lifespan in the wild is just 18 months - they either get shot, poisoned, snared or hunted.”

The Mirror reported earlier in the month that animal lovers are turning in ever increasing numbers to ­acupuncture – for their pets.

The Chinese art of inserting needles in the skin has been used to help ­humans for thousands of years.

Now more and more vets are ­starting to recommend it as a way to treat animals suffering all sorts of conditions from arthritis to spinal injuries.

Dogs, cats and horses are the most common patients but acupuncture can also be used on more exotic creatures including ­elephants, reptiles and birds.

The Mirror has also previously reported the incredible story of a woman with an extreme dog phobia who overcame her fear to help an injured rescue puppy.

Julie Smith, 51, became crippled with fear whenever she saw a dog, but that all changed when a 10-month-old labrador/springer spaniel cross called Dylan entered her life.

Now she has a rewarding new career getting injured four-legged friends firmly back on their paws.

(Image: Sunday People) (Image: Sunday People)

Julie was so scared of dogs she would do anything to avoid them – even ­crossing the road if one approached.

Yet her husband Thomas really wanted a dog. Eventually his nagging paid off and Julie agreed.

It was the arrival of ten-month-old labrador/springer spaniel cross Dylan, who was born with severe hip displacement, that really changed Julie’s life.

She said: “He could barely walk, sit or stand for long periods. He should never have been bred.”

She took him to a hydrotherapy pool rather than giving him invasive surgery and became so fascinated by the treadmill treatment that she volunteered to help.