Many organisations across the western world are speaking out about an obesity crisis in dogs, so if you are concerned that your dog is overweight, you definitely shouldn’t feel alone. There is help available so that you can help your dog get to a healthy weight while their bodies still get all of the nutrients it needs.
Is Dog Obesity a Concern?
There are multiple issues that are commonly seen in overweight dogs and dogs that are struggling with obesity. The extra pounds or kilos put a burden on their whole bodies, particularly a dog’s joints as they have to support more weight and their hearts as well. This can be even more problematic if your dog also has joint issues such as arthritis, patella luxation, hip dysplasia or IVDD, putting more strain on the musculoskeletal system. Overweight dogs may also have higher susceptibility to diabetes and certain cancers and may find it hard to regulate their body temperatures. So now that we see some of the compelling reasons we might want to help our dogs get to a healthy weight, we can have a look a bit more at that process.
Nutrients and Energy in a Dog’s Food
One of the biggest challenges for weight management in dogs is to ensure a dog’s nutrient needs are comfortably met by the the food they consume, while also controlling the energy intake so that weight can reduce at a healthy rate. For some feeding types, it is not as simple as feeding less overall because their minimum nutrient levels will have been calculated and incorporated for their intake in normal ‘maintenance mode’ and not for their reduced diet for ‘weight-loss mode’ and could cause nutrient deficiencies in some cases. Some diet types allow us to split energy-yielding and nutrient-yielding ingredients, which gives us room to work with, where others might look at reducing overall feed amounts and supplementing to make sure essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals are accounted for - in our consultations at dognutrition.ie we work with your dog’s exact needs and find the right path to optimal weight and condition.
Weight Loss for Dogs at a Healthy Pace
Weight loss needs to be at the right pace - you don’t want it to be either too quick or too slow.
We work with our clients consistently with regular check-ins for a weight-loss plan to ensure dogs are losing weight at exactly the right pace and can easily make slight adjustments to the plan to keep everything on track. Usually even just a few short weeks can have great results for many dogs’ body conditions.
Is it Always About Removing Treats?
All elements of a dog’s diet can contribute to their energy intake and we need to look into each part to see what will make the biggest impact. Sometimes a reduction in treats or changing the treat to a lower caloric option can be an easy and effective option and for others not so much. In our consultations at dognutrition.ie we have seen many cases where treats were neither the cause nor the solution when it came to the individual dog’s weight. We also understand that for some dogs treats are incredibly important for their training and motivation and can find options that are calculated into a weight-loss plan that works for that specific dog and household.
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