gettingvetted here.

Ooooof, that’s always a really tough situation, to be honest. Your best bet is probably to try & get to the root of why she doesn’t want to address it. Does she actually think it’s not that serious? Does she not know how to help the dog lose weight? Is she convinced it’s a medical issue, in which case the vet might have better luck suggesting otherwise?

I would also try to figure out why the dog is so overweight - is she free feeding, or possibly feeding too often (which could be caused by memory issues, if she forgets she’s already fed the dog)? Does the dog need more exercise that she has a hard time providing?

If she’s avoiding the issue because she has trouble with the required solutions, it might help if you point it out & then follow up with a suggested solution. Switch from free feeding to a feeding schedule when she feeds herself. If she has trouble remembering that the dog was already fed, perhaps an auto-feeder that she just has to add food to each morning, or a timer reminder or something similar. She might need some help from family with exercising the dog, or perhaps a hired dog walker.

If the issue is simply that she disagrees the dog is overweight or doesn’t think it’s a problem, the vet may be more useful for this, but it depends on how much she listens to professional opinions too. 

You could also be more direct in trying to discuss it with her. Saying something like “I know you don’t really want to talk about this, but I’m very concerned about your dog’s weight and health, and I would appreciate it if you would be willing to have a serious discussion about it with me instead of brushing it off.” But that kind of thing could also cause a fight in some situations, so it just depends.

Cubby boy again.

He is from 12kg on 10,5kg - just 1,5kg more to go.

I am so super proud of Sammy and so happy.

It is really a hard way because it seems like the tiniest bit seems to cause weight gain at Sammys body.

Help your pet lose weight

How heavy is your pet? Are they obese or just a little bit too cuddly? Here are some tips for losing weight, from Ella Woods…

According to recent studies, most pets are overweight. This condition puts them at the risk of developing various diseases such as arthritis, kidney and heart diseases. Overweight pets also tend to have a shorter lifespan than those in the healthy weight range.…

I recently had a truly amazing holiday. I was helping to house sit (and pet sit!) in such a beautiful part of the world. I ate too much, exercised too little and came back a tiny bit podgy. I take this to be a sign that I had a great time.  

It’s fine to have a few treats now and then but for pets as well as for us, obesity can seriously damage our health long term. I don’t need to harp on about this, we hear it all over, but looking at a physical list of some of the risks obesity presents to your pet’s health can be enlightening. It can also help you to take the first step in making a productive difference to their weight. If you just want to skip straight to the weight loss tips, scroll down. But otherwise here are some... 

...Reasons to keep your pet slim: 

REDUCE THEIR RISK OF DISEASES

HEART AND RESPIRATORY 

LIVER 

JOINT AND MOBILITY

I would cite this as one of the main reasons I put big dogs to sleep when they are quite young- they have just been carrying too much weight on their joints and they develop unmanageable pain. 

DIABETES (cats get a similar condition to type II diabetes in people)

Neutered dogs and cats - have nearly double the risk of being obese     due to changes in hormonal levels. Modifying the diet of a neutered pet is     vital.

So, if that doesn’t convince you I don’t know what will. Healthy pets mean less worrying, and lower vets bills. 

Tips for Sustainable Weight Loss

These do work! I tried out this blog on my boyfriend’s family, and their lovely dog lost kilos of weight. She looks much better for it, and she is happier, more active and more interested in life. We also used some of these tricks whilst pet sitting, again SUCCESS, happy healthy, lighter dogs. 

Most of these tips are based on diet. Whilst exercise does help with weight loss, with animals, in my experience, what they eat makes all the difference, and their exercise may or may not help. Lesson- focus on the FOOD. 

1. Choose the right foods

The best thing you can feed your animal is a good quality kibble or tinned diet according to their preference. 

No additional food is necessary, but see below for some low calorie treats, weight loss lasts longer if you and your pet don’t feel deprived of giving and receiving treats!

2. Weigh out the food allowance!

Studies show that we humans cannot judge portions by eye. Weigh out the food according to the guide on the packet.

You can split this allowance over as many feeds or treats as you like, feed them 20 times a day with tiny portions if it makes them happier. 

Most importantly, measure FOR THE WEIGHT WE ARE AIMING THE ANIMAL TO BE. If we feed the animal for what they weigh now the pounds won't come off.

For most animals we cut down gradually. As a rough guide:

For toy dogs or for cats weigh out enough food for 0.3kg less than their current weight.

For small/medium dogs weigh out for 0.5kg less than what they weigh now.

For medium/large dogs weigh for up to 1kg less than they are now. 

3. Keep going! 

Feed this amount for four weeks then continue to reduce by the same amount monthly until they are in good body condition. Vets don’t aim for a target weight but for a target BODY CONDITION SCORE. 

See this link to a body condition scoring guide (the pet size-ometer) for dogs, cats and other species too! http://www.pfma.org.uk/pet-size-o-meter

Re-weigh at a nurse or vet check, they can tell you if more weight loss is needed and make sure you are condition scoring accurately! 

4. Get all the family on board! This is imperative to help with point 3. 

Make sure dog walkers and cat sitters aren’t secretly sneaking calories into the allowance either...

5. TREATS...

Animals can't metabolise human food as we can. To them 1 sausage = 8 sausages! (or possibly 6 for a big dog...)

Therefore think before you feed a treat and multiply by 8!   

Similarly some commercial pet treats are up to 22% fat, even some dental sticks!  

Ideally animals would only have biscuits out of their weighed out food allowance as treats, but if this is too boring, try green veg such as broccoli, green beans, cabbage and cucumber. 

Because these veggies are mainly water and fibre they have minimal calories and are good for keeping full.  

Carrots, peas and apples are surprisingly sugary and may lead to weight gain so care with these foods. 

6. Don’t believe your animal

Remember that many pets, especially dogs, will still look for more food even after their energy requirements have been fulfilled! Don't let them tell you they are hungry!

If your animal is really hungry on their new food allowance try adding 2-3cm of warm water over biscuits or meat to fill them up like a big bowl of soup! <<< This is a GREAT tip for labradors (speaking from experience!)

7. For picky eaters

If your animal isn’t very good at eating commercial food, so you feed lots of treats or human food, first try leaving them a day or two without and see if they start on the kibble. I bet they will! 

(NB: DO NOT LEAVE A CAT WITHOUT FOOD FOR LONGER THAN 24 HOURS) 

If this doesn't work, use low calorie foods such as boiled chicken breast or white fish to tempt them, remove a little of their own food and add this on top. 

Do NOT use roasted meats, the fat in these will not only halt weight loss but may even put your animal at risk of disease. 

Don’t feel guilty! Many vets have to diet their pets from time to time. Talk to us and we will be happy to help. We love it when owners volunteer to diet their animals, so its nothing to be embarrassed about. Vet nurse clinics are also a great, cheap way to get advice and support about this. We <3 nurses. 

Remember as always, this blog doesn’t replace a visit to your vet! 

Always consult your vet or vet nurse when deciding:

a) How much to cut down the diet.

b) Whether or not your pet has lost enough weight.

If there were a way to extend your pet’s life by up to 2 years, would you do it?

A study conducted by Nestle Purina shows that there is one factor that can impact your pet’s lifespan by up to 2 years: keeping your pet at a healthy weight.

Unfortunately, many pet owners who believe their pet is at a “normal” and healthy body weight are wrong. 

When asked to assess their pet’s weight, about 45% of pet owners believed their pet fell within a “normal weight range,” which contradicted their veterinarians who classified the animals as overweight. 

In fact, an astonishing 52.5 percent of dogs and 58.3 percent of cats are considered overweight.

How to get Fido fit (And keep him that way)

So, what can you do to ensure your pet isn’t part of that statistic?*

I caught up with Patrice Goldston, owner of the North Carolina branch of Dynamic Dogs LLC. Her company focuses on exercise, training, socialization, and mental stimulation for dogs. 

She says most pet owners think that if their dog has access to a backyard during the day, that will provide all the exercise their dogs need. But that’s simply not true.

Instead, she recommends teaching your dog the “heel” command — a command that requires them to walk nicely beside you without pulling on the leash — and take them on walks. She says that most dogs actually get much more exercise and mental stimulation from a good walk than from a whole day in the backyard alone.

Regular doggie play dates with a doggie pal whose company your pup enjoys is another great way to get them moving—so next time you invite a few friends over, consider asking their furry friend along too (so long as you know your pups get along). 

Other fun ways to help your pup get her move on include biking, Frisbee, and fetch.

But what about training treats?

When a pet owner is concerned about their pets weight, Patrice says they often ask her what to do about rewarding their pet during training.

Her response? Use their kibble as a treat.

Feeding your dog bits of kibble as a reward throughout the day, instead of all at once during meal time, can be a great way to encourage good behavior and teach new tricks, without putting on the pounds.

Patrice also stresses that you can use anything your dog sees as motivation as a reward during training — that includes everyday things, like sniffing, fetching a tennis ball, or playing tug with you. 

Most people see how much their dog likes food and wind up giving them treats just because they’re cute, which is often how their pups get overweight in the first place.

Instead, find something active your dog likes — a game like fetch or tug works great — and when you find yourself thinking about how cute they look, try that out instead.

Not only is it better for them, it’ll help build a better bond between you and your pup. And you’ll be surprised at much you fun you can have in the process.

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