A vet has revealed how to help your dog beat obesity and shed pounds.
Cat, a UK-based vet, took his TikTok to share his tips with his 325,000 subscribers.
She said: “The first thing I think is really important to do is calculate how many calories your dog needs per day.
“And what we’re aiming for is the calorie requirement for the weight we want them to be, not the weight they actually are.
“If you go to the Pet Nutrition Alliance website and Google Calorie Calculator, you will find this calorie calculator that you can use yourself.
Cat, a UK-based vet, took to TikTok to share her advice with her 325,000 followers
“Or if you call your local vets, they often have specially trained vet nurses who can figure it out for you.
“Then, of course, we need to figure out how many calories are actually in their food.
“Now some brands will write that on the package, but some companies will have to call.
“Of course, most good companies will have feeding guides on the back of the pack.”
Cat says to be very specific about your furry friend’s weight loss — calorie counting is the way to go.
She then reveals that you need to weigh your dog’s daily food to see if he’s getting the right amount.
She said: “Using cups or using eyes just isn’t precise enough and everyone errs on the side of being generous.
Cat said: “Anything that makes meals a little more interesting, burns a little energy, stimulates their minds and takes a little longer to eat is absolutely perfect”
Vet says sniff mats can help engage your dog and make mealtime more interesting
“So get some cheap digital scales, they’re not terribly expensive, they don’t take very long, and you can be very precise about how much your pet is actually eating.”
Cat then says there’s a problem with cutting calories – you’ll also cut their nutrition.
She says this is especially a problem if your dog is particularly overweight – which is classified as a body score of seven out of nine.
“That’s where these specialized weight loss diets come in. They’re designed to be lower in calories, but still give your dog the nutrition he needs to live and thrive,” the vet said.
She then featured some dog food brands that offer this type of specialty food.
Cat said, “If you go to the Pet Nutrition Alliance website and Google Calorie Calculator, you’ll find this calorie calculator that you can use yourself”
Cat also put images of brands offering specialized weight loss food products
“Almost as important as what we feed them is how we feed them,” Cat continued.
‘Use puzzle balls like this or snuff mats like this or just take their kibble and scatter it all over the kitchen floor or garden.
“Anything that makes meals a little more interesting, burns a little energy, stimulates their minds, and takes a little longer to eat is absolutely fine.”
Cat then says her other tip is to split your dog’s meals, so they have smaller portions throughout the day.
She said: “It interests them, it also keeps their metabolic rate up.”
In terms of treats, the vet said that “a lot of times that’s where the excess calories really come into play.”
“It’s really important to limit the treats you give to less than 10% of that daily calorie intake.
Cat then says her other tip is to split your dog’s meals, so they have smaller portions throughout the day.
“And you might consider cutting out those cookies for something much lower in calories like greens.”
“Dogs will often love to eat this, or watermelon is another bright and tasty snack that can make them feel like they’re getting something very special, but in reality, it’s virtually calorie-free.
“And we are all guilty of giving treats when what our dogs want is our love and attention.
“So taking five minutes to play fast will really make a difference, both in not getting calories and burning calories at the same time.”
Users took to the comments section to discuss their thoughts and also shared their own tips.
One user wrote, “I’ve had spaniels for over 10 years and their food is weighed every day, morning and night!
Users took to the comments section to discuss their thoughts and also shared their own tips.
Another said: ‘I’m getting free food and my dog is maintaining perfect weight. always worked for me. when you plan, they eat everything. Free food, they eat what they need.
A third wrote: “Our 14 year old border collie has been placed on a science metabolic diet. We wanted her to be lean to help with arthritis.
A fourth commented: ‘My cat is a big chunk but has to eat urine food so I have to ration him.’
