Weigh-In Time for Pudgy Pooches Obesity is an epidemic in much of the western world, but it’s not just people who are getting fatter, dogs are, too. Former rescue dog Tai can hardly make it up the stairs at the vet's clinic. Hey, Tai, come on Tai, hello, hello. I've noticed over the last ten years a significant increase in the number of overweight dogs that I see on a daily basis. One survey of veterinarians finds up to 40% of dogs in the UK and Europe are overweight or obese. It's a similar number in the U.S. Tai's British owners have put him on a strict diet and they're going for more walks, but not all owners are taking action. When I talk to them about diet and exercise, it's probably 95-98% unsuccessful. People, they don't, they all leave here saying "I'm going to feed less and I'm going to exercise more," and it's amazing to me how often that doesn't work. Korbell, an American mastiff, was so big he's taking a special doggie diet pill. It's a drug made by Pfizer that's been on the market in the U.S. for just a few months. It's now being launched in Europe. The saddest day for me: when I walked in there and he looked at Korbell and said, "It really doesn't look good, if something isn't done, you know, I think we're going to have to put him down," and I just, um... sorry. Korbell has lost a third of his body weight, but is still shy about stepping on the scale. If your canine companion is packing on the pounds, vets say the drug is a last resort: diet and exercise should do the trick. Or you could appeal to his vanity, show him a picture of his "skinny days" or maybe arrange a screening of this video on YouTube, an example of just how bad it can get. Lindsay Janice, CNN, London.