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Originally Posted by Nancy1999  I would cut the food they are feeding by 1/3, and weigh weekly to see if he's losing the weight. Green beans are a low calorie treat and act to help make them feel full, so if by reducing the food by 1/3, he still seems like he's starving, adding a few green beans will help. Just like with humans, rapid weight loose is not the way to go. I'm not sure how much weight loss they can expect each weight, but when Joey had to lose a pound, the vet said 1 to 2 ounces a week would be a good goal. This is based on percentages of their weight, for example, a 70-pound dog might be able to safely lose 8 ounces a week. Remember, anytime an organism loses weight too fast, it loses more muscle than fat, and while muscle weighs more, it also keep metabolism high. This is especially important as a dog ages, because he's not building that much new muscle. I made Joey work for some of his meals, and playing fetch is a good way for them to get exercise and every little bit helps.
I too think two meals is better, and I would be tempted to reduce his night time meal by ½ and give him part of that in the mourning, if he refused it, no harm done. Again, a few green beans could be added, and they need to stop all other treats. Most actual dog treats are very high calorie, and a few here and there can blow the diet. If he's seriously overweight, they may not realize how much they are giving him. |
Thanks Nancy. I will pass all this info on to them. We all love him to death
and want what's best for him. They thought they were doing better by
only giving him the dog food but it just blew him up with only one meal a
day. way to high in fat and calories for an older dog is my guess since
nothing else is wrong with him, except depression. Amazing how this
poor dog is moarning the loss of his grandpa after 1 1/2 yrs. Vet said
nothing can be done except to keep him as active as possible.
He is a larger MinPin to begin with, long legs and body but now with the
weight his head looks so small and his body is huge. They didn't see it
I guess but when you don't see someone for a period of time then you
can see the difference.
Thanks again,