24 percent of Swedish dogs overweight

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 21 (UPI) -- Experts say that many Swedes love their dogs all too well, with one-fourth of the pets in the country suffering from obesity.

One company claims to have a solution to the problem, Dagens Nyheter reports. Boehringer Ingelheim claims that its treatment prevents the uptake of fat in dogs.

But many veterinarians tell the newspaper they still believe that the traditional treatment -- feeding dogs less and getting them to exercise more -- is best. The company claims studies show that diet and exercise fails in 60 percent of dogs.

Ake Hedhammar of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences told the newspaper that owners have to take responsibility for their dogs' health.