Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for our canine companions, and just like us, dogs benefit from a balanced diet. When it comes to helping overweight dogs shed those extra pounds, opting for fresh or minimally processed food can make a significant difference.
According to Banfield Pet Hospital 2020 Report using new methodology a higher percentage of dogs that are overweight has been found than previously reported with 51% of the 1.2 million adult dogs seen at Banfield classified as overweight up from 39% in a previous study. Of these less than 10% are successful at losing weight regardless of their age and out of the limited number of pets able to lose weight after diagnosis roughly 40% will regain weight and resume their overweight status within 12 months.
Does it matter? The answer is yes. Just like us overweight dogs are at increased risk for numerous diseases particularly osteoarthritis and live an average of two years less than their ideal weight counterparts. Over the last half century there has been a spike in human obesity and obesity in our companion animals and this is probably due to similar environmental and lifestyle changes that have occurred.
Unfortunately most owners underestimate how overweight their dog is and have a bit of a skewed approach so using a body conditioning scoretool is quite useful and also asking your friends for a second opinion a nice little tip I like is to clench your fist and feel over your knuckles and that is how your dog's ribs should feel otherwise do check out the Body Conditioning score chart below.
Studies also show that obesity can affect gene expression resulting in a host of chronic diseases because it is essentially a state of chronic inflammation and once the body has become programmed for fat it's like a never-ending cycle because fat cells lead to more fat cells and so on. But it is not just over feeding that is the cause food intolerances or sensitivities can lead to weight gain again because of inflammation. In addition obesity can also be due to an underlying health condition such as hypothyroid or Cushing's so a vet check is always essential.
Changing what and how you feed your dog can be the key to a successful weight-loss plan and one that stays successful. Since inflammation is at the root cause obesity a key step in helping your dog lose weight is to feed lots of fat fighting anti-inflammatory foods whilst removing pro-inflammatory foods. Now you may think well I'll put him on a weight loss food as recommended by my vet probably “trained in nutrition” by a big food manufacturer and please don’t think I am dissing vets I am not. The lack of nutrition education is also bad with my medical colleagues but unlike vets human doctors do at least appreciate that avoiding processed food is key to good health. Commercial weight loss foods are heavily processed foods and so are not really the best choice for weight-loss (or anything in my opinion) they're typically high in unhealthy carbohydrates, they contain pro-inflammatory ingredients and don't contain enough high quality animal protein so ideally opt instead for fresh wholesome foods that can provide antioxidants and maintain a lean body mass and overall optimal health. But if that is not your thing do read on as I still have some tips for you,
Firstly, incorporating lean proteins like chicken or turkey, venison, pork into their meals provides essential nutrients without excess calories. Experts in canine nutrition all agree that high protein, low carbohydrate diets are the safest and most effective weight loss program for dogs. It is also essentially a natural diet and what dogs would thrive on before the development of kibble and going back to their ancestors. Proteins help build and maintain muscle mass, promote a healthier metabolism and support the immune system.
A platter for my dogs lamb rib, tripe, lamb chunks, mussels, apple, kale
Raw lean muscle meat and organs should make up one third of your dog’s daily food. Raw meaty bones should make up another third of your dogs daily food choose things like pork, duck necks, venison ribs, venison neck, chicken wings (without the skin). Vegetables and fruit should make up the final 1/3 of your dog's daily food. It is vital that the ingredients are fresh and choose a variety and mix it up. I lightly cook my veg - generally roast with water not oil and lightly steam veg then add it all together and then drizzle over with olive oil and scatter some ground seeds (flax, chia, pumpkin and sunflower).
Always aim for good carbs such as that originating from whole fresh foods such as fruit, vegetables, beans and unrefined gluten-free grains and remove pro inflammatory ingredients such as those containing artificial colours, flavours and preservatives added antibiotics,sugars, high level of pesticides, hormones, GMO foods and high glycemic index carbohydrates. These unhealthy carbohydrates will be processed foods such as bread, pasta and cereal and many of the refined grains used in commercial pet foods.
Aim for organic foods or at least look for producers who opt out of pesticides and have free roaming animals - stressed animals have inflamed meat and always opt for organic chicken items - inensively farmed chicken is highly inflammatory as well as the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 adding to that. If you dog has arthritis it is best to steer clear of chicken totally.
Secondly, portion control is key. Splitting meals into smaller, more frequent servings helps regulate metabolism and prevents overeating. This approach, coupled with the use of interactive feeding toys, turns mealtime into a mentally stimulating activity, keeping dogs engaged and preventing mindless munching - so consider feeding meals twice maybe three times a day to incorporate this cognitive enrichment - see my platter above.
It is important to calculate the amount of daily calories your dog calories (kcals) your dog needs to eat each day to safely achieve his weight goal. For most dogs a weight loss of 3% to 5% of body weight per month is considered safe and this can be achieved by feeding your dog 100% of his resting energy requirements (RER)this represents the daily amount of key low calories his body needs to perform no other activities except resting and performing basic metabolic functions such as digestion, respiration, heart function, metabolism, is responsible for about 50% of the average adult dogs daily energy requirements so the following formula is used to calculate RER in animals weighing between 2 to 45 kilograms.
Step 1 determine the ideal weight of your dog.
Step 2 determine the resting energy requirement based on this ideal weight
RER = (30 X ideal body weight ) +70
This calculation is your dog's resting energy requirement while they are losing weight however once they reach their ideal weight you will need two feed them their maintenance energy requirement and this is based on a variety of different factors.
Reference - Canine Nutrigenomics - Jean Dodds
A quick word about treats for training and snacks - take it out of your dog’s daily allowance - opt for high quality items such as dehydrated meats (cheaper with your own dehydrator), dried venison sausage, veniso pate for dogs, fruits and veg but they are high in sugar so less of those.
Lastly, as mentioned above, steering clear of highly processed commercial dog foods can be beneficial but not everyone wants to if you can opt for wet foods and lightly processed foods over kibble. But for any processed food replace 10% of it with toppers to boost the health of your dog with some great anti-inflammatory foods. Opting for fresh, whole foods ensures that dogs receive essential nutrients without unnecessary additives.
This is just a guide and consulting with a canine nutritionist to tailor a weight loss plan to your dog's specific needs might be the necessary step for your dog’s weight-loss towards a healthier, happier dog.
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Information given here is not intended as a substitute for medical or veterinary consultation - the author has no liability nor responsibility with respect to any issues occurring out of use such as damage, loss, injury.