Is My Dog Overweight? Diet Advice from Hills Pet Nutrition

It’s Never Too Late To Change The Future For Your Overweight Pet

We hear every day about human obesity but do we realize that pets are becoming overweight as well as their owners? Research shows that nearly 50 per cent of UK pets are obese or overweight and that the life of an overweight pet is shortened by at least two years. In human terms, this means reducing life expectancy by 15 years!

Are all pets in danger of becoming obese?

Scientists think that there are some pets that seem predisposed to obesity by their breed, with the Labrador being a good case in point. But ‘it’s in my genes’ is not always a good defence, as thousands of owners of lean Labradors will testify. Certainly intrinsic factors (those to do with the dog as an individual) can make a difference. The age, reproductive status and gender of a dog can influence how likely they are to become obese. And calories may have to be more carefully controlled in obesity-prone dogs and they need not necessarily be given the opportunity to become obese.

Weight gain could be more of a problem than you think

You may think that your dog or cat gaining a little weight isn’t a serious issue. But even if your pet is as little as 10-20% overweight, they run an increased risk of developing painful conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or arthritis. Overweight dogs and cats are more lethargic and less likely to interact with the outside world. Consider the effects of restricted mobility, pain, lack of external stimulation plus heat stress and it comes as no great surprise to learn that portly pets are also more likely to be bad tempered and even aggressive. That’s no life for a much loved family pet and no fun for the family either.

Weight loss challenge

If you think your pet is at risk of being overweight or obese, the best and first thing to do is to visit your veterinary practice for a weight check, which is often free. Weighing your dog or cat regularly should become a part of regular check-ups. Your vet or vet nurse will help you structure the weight loss programme to help your pet reduce its weight. The weight loss challenge should be made up of a feeding plan, exercise plan and re-check plan.

Feeding plan

Your vet or vet nurse will help you set the target weight for the weight loss challenge. It is normally in the region of 1-2% per week and the use of Pet Weight Record Books is a useful way to evaluate how well your pet has managed to stay on track.

When on the weight loss challenge, watch out your pet does not ‘cheat’ by scavenging or begging for food from other people. By feeding a food that remains nutritionally complete even when calorie intake is reduced and that promotes satiety, your chances of success will definitely increase. Most table scraps are very high in calorie – for instance, feeding your dog a slice of toast is equivalent to a human eating a hamburger. Or, giving your cat a cup of milk is equivalent of a human eating four and a half hamburgers! Therefore, it is recommended to establish a more controlled pattern of feeding your pet when offering food at set meal times.

There are clinically-proven, safe weight loss diets available, like as Hill’s™ Prescription Diet™ r/d™, which are formulated to help your pet reach its ideal weight, reduce the risk of disease and make a lifelong improvement to his quality of life. Hill’s Prescription Diet r/d is high in dietary fibre and protein to reduce hunger and discourage begging and supplemented with L-carnitine, a vitamin that helps burn fat and preserve muscles during weight loss. Hill’s Prescription Diet r/d is clinically proven to reduce fat by 22% in just 8 weeks. Easy and effective weight loss – your dog is guaranteed to lose weight in just 8 weeks, or we give you your money back.

Exercise plan

Of course, prevention is better than cure, so be sure to establish good exercise routines. A great way to get overweight pets mobile again is to make exercising them interesting to their owners. That is why Hill’s has partnered with UK tourism boards to find the Top 21 Dog Walks across the UK. Check the winning walks as well as all the nominated ones at www.21topdogwalks.co.uk. The walks are graded according to their suitability for overweight dogs or those with mobility problems – starting with ‘green’ walks that are largely on flat, even ground and of short duration, culminating in ‘red’ walks that include hills or rough terrain.

Helping you to succeed

Your vet or vet nurse will develop for you a re-check plan which will help you see the progress your pet is making in the weight loss challenge. As a reminder of your pet’s regular weigh-ins, you can use stickers from your Pet Weight Record Book and place them into your calendar. You can also track your pet’s weight loss online, get advice and tips on feeding and exercise as well as money off coupons your pet’s weight loss diet when you register your pet at www.hillsweightloss.co.uk.

So, if you are worried about your pet’s weight, talk to your vet or vet nurse. And remember, it is never too late to change the future of your overweight pet.

Human Diets Cause Weight Problems in Dogs

You may know….

9 million people in the UK suffer from joint problems, 44% of men and35% of women in the UK are overweight

But did you know….

40% of the UK’s large breed dogs live with joint problems too
Similar to the human population, up to 50% of the UK’s pets are overweight
To a dog, one human biscuit has the same calorie equivalent as a whole packet

Britain may be a nation of dog lovers, but new research from a pet food company shows that over a quarter of dog owners are unaware that common dog sensitivities such as putting on weight or sensitive skin can be helped by a change in diet.

The research shows just how much owners love their pets and care about their nutritional wellbeing.

owever, all admit they still can’t resist slipping them the odd naughty human treat:

Scraps from a plate - 43%
Home made gravy for dinner – 23%
One of your biscuits – 21%
A homemade meal – 13%
A bite of your chocolate– 13%

The findings point towards the emergence of a new ‘mirrored-diet syndrome’, when many owners and pets share the same health sensitivity problems, concerns and predispositions.

For example, 30% of owners admit obesity is a big pet health worry, 28% fear arthritis will also affect their dog, whilst a sensitive stomach can be a problem for both man and beast.

Help! My Dog is Vomitting

My dog has started vomitting and I’m worried. What should I do?

A) Firstly, you should always get in touch with your nearest vet and seek immediate professional advice on an issue this serious.

When Your Dog Is Vomiting

The dog vomits with ease, seemingly at will, and often without apparent cause. One thing that almost never causes a dog to vomit is eating too fast. Bolting food is the natural way for a dog.

Eating too much, however, is another matter. The capacity of a p stomach to hold food is phenomenal. Life Magazine once ran a story about a five-pound puppy that ate a five-pound ham, all but the bone! Such examples, of course, are the ultra-extreme. Adult dogs, on the other hand, can hold only about one and one-half ounces of liquid for each pound the dog weighs. Some dogs may even hold as much as two ounces per pound of body weight, but any quantities above this almost always produce vomiting.

Vomiting, like diarrhea, is often seen in puppies. Dogs at this age have the exasperating habit of eating such things as dirt, stones, sand, bedding, toys, foil, paper, socks or almost anything else they can get into their mouths. Vomiting also occurs in adults from eating bones, sour food, garbage, carrion or feces. In these cases, vomiting is a sign of gastritis, which is an inflammation of the stomach. Gastritis is rapidly produced by such things as garbage, carrion or caustic chemicals. Most older dogs eventually learn that the foreign materials will make them sick, and stop eating them. The same dogs never seem to realize that garbage, buried bones or sour food may do the same thing - and neither do many owners!

One of the most serious consequences of vomiting is that, once begun, vomiting can persist, even though the cause no longer exists. The usual course in such cases, if uncorrected, follows a characteristic pattern. The dog has a more or less violent seizure of vomiting that ordinarily eliminates the causative substance or object. The vomiting continues, but in a somewhat less violent nature, giving the appearance that the dog is improving.

The loss of fluids and electrolytes in the vomiting causes an imbalance and a noticeable thirst develops. Mild depression develops as well as anorexia, and the vomiting begins to become more severe. Thirst is exaggerated, loss of fluids and electrolytes is accelerated and depression becomes marked. The vomiting becomes more and more violent and the continued loss of fluids and electrolytes creates a critical imbalance. If the situation is allowed to continue uninterrupted, the dog eventually dies from electrolyte imbalance and dehydration.

To help with your dog’s vomiting problem, liquid foods should be fed first. Such things as beef and chicken broth not only supply a few calories, but are excellent tor establishing many of the electrolyte balances that have been disturbed by vomiting. Within 48 hours it is usually possible to finely chop a little hard-boiled egg into the broth. If this does not cause a return of the vomiting, then a little cottage cheese, some vanilla ice cream or a little toast and milk can be offered. Resumption of the regular diet can commence as soon as the bland foods are tolerated for at least 24 hours.

My Dog is Pregnant, How Do I Maintain Her Weight?

My bitch is carrying puppies. How do I care for her weight during her pregnancy?

Nutritional Problems That May Occur For The Pregnant Dog

Most nutritionists agree that reproduction is the most critical stress encountered by a female dog. While the healthy male dog can sire hundreds of puppies without any stress whatever, the female is called upon to use tremendous amounts of energy and nutrients during pregnancy and lactation. If her feeding program does not adequately supply these nutrients and energy, she will obtain them by using up her own body tissues. If neither dietary nor body sources of nutrients and energy are available, a multitude of problems will result.

The manifestation of an inadequate diet during early phases of reproduction may take on several forms. Those most likely to be recognized are:

1. An “out of condition” appearance of the dog. This may not become apparent until after the pups are born. An actual loss in body weight throughout gestation can occur, but is unusual in most instances.

2. An uncontrollable diarrhea following whelping and throughout much of lactation. This is most often seen when she must increase her food intake excessively to meet increased lactational demands because the food she has been eating is poorly digestible or low in calories.

3. The “fading puppy” syndrome. The puppy may appear normal at birth, but several hours to several days later it is found crying or whimpering and chilled. It is off by itself, obviously disowned by the mother. Attempts to reunite the two are usually met with failure. The puppy’s stomach will be empty and its body will be dehydrated. When weighed, it will weigh the same or less than the day before.

4. Anemias. When an anemia occurs as the result of a dietary deficiency during reproduction, it will be present in both the dam and pup. When both mother and pup are anemic, the first place to look for its cause is the diet.

Once pregnancy is terminated by the whelping of the pups, an inadequate diet during lactation is most likely to appear as:

1. Lactation failure (agalactia). This is a complete failure of the mammary glands. The dog produces no milk at all from which the pups can be nourished. These pups cry continuously, fail to gain weight, and unless immediate remedial feeding is started, the pups will die.

2. Lactation depression (dysgalactia). While the mammary glands are functional, they are unable to produce adequate amounts of milk to fully support the pups’ complete nutrient needs. The pups are restricted in growth rate and may become stunted.

3. Deficient milk. The milk, although it may be produced in adequate amounts, is deficient in one or more nutrients.