Having an overweight pet could cost owners £1,500 in vets’ bills per visit, claims data has revealed. Common health problems caused by excessive weight include cruciate ligament injuries, urinary tract disease, diabetes and arthritis. Addressing cruciate ligament injuries can mean swallowing a whopping bill of £1,578.28, and urinary tract disease costs for cats are skyrocketing to a jaw-dropping £752.06. Data from pet insurer ManyPets shows, on average, pet owners are forking out £682.65 for a trip to the vets for diabetes, while arthritis costs are coming to £476.61. However, 51 per cent of cat and dog owners are already concerned about their pets’ weight, a separate poll of 2,000 pet owners found. And nearly one in five (18 per cent) with a cat or dog could encounter these bills soon as they believe their pet already is carrying more weight than it should. With almost a fifth (19 per cent) admitting they are already shelling out more to tackle their pets’ fluctuating size. The research was commissioned as part of the ManyPets ‘Why Weight?’ report and launch of its Obesity Learning Hub. Steven Mendel, chief executive and co-founder of the pet insurer, said: “We understand it can be difficult to resist rewarding pets with extra treats, and heart-breaking to say no to them when they’re asking for more food. “But, with obesity associated health problems becoming more and more prevalent, we urge pet parents to think twice to save their pets. “We’re proud to have launched our Obesity Learning Hub to offer tips and veterinary approved advice for pet parents everywhere.” The research went on to find, with the rising cost of living still looming large for many pet owners, 22 per cent have been forced to make cutbacks to their pet’s lifestyle. Almost half (49 per cent) of these are now opting for lower quality brands of food, and 37 per cent have reduced their spend on healthcare. But 88 per cent believe they would be able to recognise the signs a pet is potentially getting to an unhealthy weight, yet only 31 per cent regularly keep an eye on their pet’s weight. Moreover,39 per cent will only visit the vets in an emergency – all of which point to an increase in weight going unchecked. In a bid to help keep weight down, 76 per cent do try to keep their four-legged friends as active as possible, while 75 per cent limit the number of treats or table scraps they give out. The study, carried out via OnePoll, found of those with an overweight pet, 22 per cent feel as if their cat or dog is ‘always hungry’. While a puzzled 19 per cent scratch their heads over their pet’s weight as they don’t think they eat an excessive amount. Steven Mendel added: “While many pet owners believe it should be straightforward to spot if their cat or dog is putting on weight – it’s often easier said than done. “In most cases, gaining weight is very gradual, meaning it can be trickier to identify - especially if pets are not attending the vet regularly. “We’re hopeful that with the right course of action and identifying the signs early, longer term pet health problems can be avoided in the future.” Read More Cat owner reunited with pet Tux after emotional Lyft ride saga Dogs’ facial markings could play a role in how close they are with owners Moment cat stuck inside boat’s hull after fire is rescued by firefighters Cat owner reunited with pet Tux after leaving her in a Lyft What you need to know about depression during menopause – as Carol Vorderman opens up Linda Evangelista describes relationship with Gerald Marie as a ‘MeToo marriage’

Leading Federal Reserve officials are sending out stronger signals that they will forego an interest rate increase at the central bank’s next meeting in June

In the first moments of the Maui fires, when high winds brought down power poles, slapping electrified wires to the dry grass below, there was a reason the flames erupted all at once in long, neat rows -- those wires were bare, uninsulated metal that could spark on contact

Britain’s Conservative government is setting out a pre-election policy slate including tougher sentences for criminals and measures to tame inflation and boost economic growth

While the stakes could hardly be higher for American democracy, voters are increasingly turned off by the apparently inevitable rematch between...

Joy Behar's comments came after 'Shark Tank' investors revealed that they want Whoopi Goldberg as a guest on the show

With a time of 19.47 seconds, Noah Lyles became the first athlete to finish 35 sprints in less than 20 seconds, leaving Usain Bolt behind

The word “jingle” doesn’t usually strike fury in the hearts of many until around September, when the first Christmas tunes are prematurely blasted from supermarket speakers. And yet, “jingle and mingle” has suddenly become the most rage-inducing phrase in the UK. We have the Conservative Party to thank for this and, more specifically, a festive gathering back in 2020. While the rest of us gorged on chocolate fingers and binge-watched Bridgerton alone rather than take the train to be with our loved ones over Christmas, Tory activists were pulling crackers and dancing to the Pogues. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Some 30 people over at Conservative HQ were invited to the 14 December event, despite London being under Tier-2 Covid restrictions at the time – meaning no indoor socialising. The BBC has even got hold of an invitation to the “jingle and mingle” party, which states that recipients should “save the date” for the “Shaun Bailey for London Holiday Party”. Lest we forget, Bailey’s mayoral campaign ended in failure - and it's taken some two-and-a-half years for the extent of the shindig to come to light. Over the weekend, the Mirror published a video taken at the soirée in which a pair of colleagues can be seen joyfully dancing to ‘Fairytale of New York’ while another person can be heard saying it is OK to film "as long as we don't stream that we're, like, bending the rules." “Bending the rules” is a pretty generous way of putting it, as hoards of angry Twitter users have pointed out. Here’s a look at some of the reaction to the latest twist in the partygate scandal: For anyone wanting a reminder of Boris Johnson’s prime ministerial Christmas message that year, here’s what he said... “At the end of this extraordinary year, I want to say something about the meaning of Christmas because I've never known a Christmas like it, not in my lifetime, and I bet not in yours either. “And in most years, it's a moment for togetherness and celebration in which the generations are jumbled together in the same household for days on end, putting crackers, snogging under the missile toe, you name it. And yet this year, that is the one type of Christmas we simply cannot afford to have.” Cough, cough. Prime Minister's 2020 Christmas message www.youtube.com He went on: “It grieved me because I think everyone hoped and prayed, I certainly did, that things could be, if not normal, then as normal as possible for as many families as possible. And yet we have had to confront the reality of the new strain of Covid, the speed with which it spreads. And I bet you agree that we had no choice but to take action. “And therefore to all those who may be feeling momentarily, cast down or a bit exhausted or frankly in need of any kind of cheering up, I want to talk about what for me is the deeper meaning of Christmas, this amazing festival at the turn of the year. Because it's not about presents or turkey or brandy butter – much though I like all of that kind of stuff – it's about hope, it's about a basic idea of rebirth and renewal. “And though we may not be able to celebrate as normal this year, I still think that feeling of hope is all around us this Christmas because there really is a star in the sky and it is glowing, brighter and brighter. And you know what it is? It's thanks to the efforts of wise men and wise women in the East and elsewhere, we have a vaccine and we know that we're going to succeed in beating coronavirus, annd that these privations that we're going through are temporary, and we know that next year really will be better. “And we know that there will be people alive next Christmas, people we love alive next Christmas precisely because we made the sacrifice and didn't celebrate as normal this Christmas and see them in the way that we would've done.” Looking at that “jingle and mingle” footage again, we find ourselves sickened and speechless. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners delivered clutch birdies and grinded out par saves to share the lead late in Friday's second round of the PGA Championship as...

A former Missouri respiratory therapist has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty in connection with the deaths of two patients over 20 years ago. Jennifer Hall, who was arrested in May 2022, was sentenced on Friday to a state prison and will have the possibility of parole, according to KCTV. Hall was initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder, but in April this year she pleaded guilty to reduced first-degree involuntary manslaughter counts in connection with the deaths of Fern Franco, 75, and David Wesley Harper, 37. Hall also pleaded guilty to one count of attempted second-degree assault, according to the outlet. In 2002, nine patients — including Franco and Harper — died at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe over a several month period. Charging documents described this series of events as “medically suspicious.” Hall started working at the hospital, which is in the north-central part of the state, in December 2001 until she was placed on administrative leave five months later, the publication noted. During that time the facility experienced 18 “code blue” incidents, a notable hike from the average the year before. Nine of those patients died, according to USA Today. In 2017, morphine and a muscle relaxant called succinylcholine were found in tissue samples taken from Franco, despite the fact that neither drug was prescribed by her doctors, according to reports. The discovery caused the case to resurface. “Because of Hall’s singular proximity to stricken patients, her access to pharmaceuticals which are deadly if misused, and her discovery and method of notifying staff of every patient’s cardiac emergency, nursing staff believed Hall was responsible for the patient deaths,” said Chillicothe Police Officer Brian Schmidt in a probable cause statement. “The substance Hall used to brutally take Fern Franco’s life, succinylcholin, paralyzes the victim’s muscles, including the diaphragm, causing the victim to suffer a ghastly death from suffocation while still maintaining full consciousness and awareness that they are unable to breathe,” the officer continued. Matt O’Connor, Hall’s lawyer, maintained his client’s innocence, saying that as a respiratory therapist, she didn’t have access to succinylcholine, morphine or any other drugs. He said he believed Hall was accused of being involved in the deaths because of an arson conviction, which she was cleared of in 2005. Aprille Franco, a granddaughter, told KCTV: “My dad wanted answers so we could finally put flowers on her grave knowing someone is responsible for this. “I didn’t know my grandma,” she added, “but given the chance I may have known her ... I’m focused on getting answers and helping other families get the answers they deserve.” “A sentence 20 years in the making,” said Livingston County prosecutor Adam Warren, who launched an investigation 10 years ago. “The sentence was for 18 years,” he said in a statement. “Jennifer Hall will be able to parole someday. But for now, we all sleep better knowing she is behind bars.” Mr Warren did not reveal a possible motive, but the case bears haunting similarities to one in the UK, where nurse Lucy Letby was sentenced to life in prison on Monday after being found guilty of murdering children who were in her care. Letby, the most prolific child serial killer in modern British history, was found guilty on Friday of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder six others when she was working on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. Read More Lucy Letby jailed for life: Nurse refuses to face court in ‘final act of wickedness’ An empty dock and a final act of cowardice: inside the Lucy Letby sentencing Baby murderer Lucy Letby to spend rest of her life in jail for ‘evil’ crimes

Many masterpieces of Iraqi painting were looted or destroyed during the years of war, but now the country's artistic heritage faces another threat...

Kai Cenat and Tristan Tate humorously satirized the 'Demons' music video by Doja Cat to express his feelings