We all love to spoil our dogs and naturally if you feed them too much they will inevitably put on weight. Other reasons why dogs may gain weight:
- Medical conditions
- Prescription drugs
- Post neutered (as was the case for Louis)
Just like humans there are also health effects of your dog being overweight such as:
- Irregular breathing
- Diabetes
- Heart and kidney problems
- Poor quality of life
At first, I did not want to acknowledge Louis’ weight gain. I wanted to make him happy by giving him bigger portions and plenty of treats.
When I took Louis out for walks his breathing was becoming a problem and he could not keep up with the other dogs. Dog owners would make comments about his weight but I did not want to admit it until I went to the vets.
Once we entered the vets, the receptionist asked if Louis could stand on the scales. The receptionist said he was 34kg, a shocking increase of 6kg from last year. Again, I did not want to believe this and asked the receptionist if she could weigh Louis again. In fact, he went on the scales 3 times before it sunk in. When I saw the vet, she said that if I did not put him on a Raw Food Diet his life would be cut by a third.
Raw Food can be bought from most dog shop stockists. Raw Food comes in all meats and fish, ie beef, chicken, duck, salmon.
More information about a Raw Food diet can be found in the Feeding Your Pet A Raw Diet blog at pdsa (The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals).
By gradually reducing his portion sizes, no more treats and regular exercise, in 5 weeks Louis has lost 2kg. He still has a way to go but by putting him on a Raw Food diet Louis will hopefully live his full life span and enjoy a good quality of life.
Always consult your own vet for advice regarding the best weight loss program for your dog.
If you would like to share your experiences regarding helping your dog to lose weight, please feel free to contact us on social media. This is a growing problem as it is estimated by vets that in the UK nearly half of dogs are overweight!
Source: The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (pdsa) Feeding your pet a raw diet [Online]. [Accessed 14 October 2020]. Available from: https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/looking-after-your-pet/all-pets/raw-diets