Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:07 am Post subject: Weight help please!
Apart from the lovely Marley, my parents have a 10 year old choc lab, Abby who has always been a bit on the plump side, but I have been complaining to my father for the last few months that she is very over weight, he just said (and he didnt mean it unkindly) that it was too late to change her.
Anyway she had to go to the vets today with a burst blood vessel in her ear and I took the opportunity of weighing her, she was 41.8 kgs and she is quite a short little lab. My father was actually quite shocked, as when she was last weighed she was 35 kgs. We had a discussion with the vet who of course suggested they had a light food which would be good for her, but reading on here it seems to be a case of cutting back rather than changing the food.
I think I am going to have to take control and do some measuring out and tell my father what she should have, but I am a bit concerned about the food.
Her usual food is delivered direct and I dont think is anything in particular. My father changed it after we lost our black lab as he was on a special diet from the vet to something cheaper. Should we change to a better food and then restrict the intake?
Bulking out tips would be useful too.
Thanks, I am determined she should have a better quality of life. Dad takes her out every morning, but she sits down whenever she can. She is a plodder and doesnt chase balls anymore.
Troy was more of the laid back girl at 10 as well Cutting out any tip bits might help, if he's giving her any.
Still have take your time with her can't rush the weight off her. Do all gradual better I feel than a mad rush to get it off then she piles it back on.
I don't think it's too late to change her, Oldies Club has taken in a number of oldies of varying breeds who have managed to lose weight in their foster homes.
I haven't had an overweight dog but if I feel mine could do with putting on or losing a little, I adjust their usual food accordingly. I guess if there's considerable weight to lose it might be different but I've not bought a "lite" food before. You could bulk out the food with vegetables, that's usually what is recommended.
Also be careful what your father is giving the dog for treats as that is often part of the problem I suspect! They could slice up apples and carrots etc. to use in substitute of higher calorie treats. I think some of the bigger treats can be pretty high in calories.
Good for you for looking out for her I hope they will accept your help as it will be good for Abby's health.
Still have take your time with her can't rush the weight off her. Do all gradual better I feel than a mad rush to get it off then she piles it back on.
She'll only pile it back on if her food/treat rations are increased again though won't she? It's not like us humans that can go and help ourselves to cakes/biscuits/chocolate whenever we like. Dogs are reliant on us for feeding/exercising.
He could do things like scatter her food in the garden so she's got to use up a bit of energy raking around for it.
Does she like a little paddle in the water? A little swim every week would help too. Does your Dad plod along with her? If so, maybe he could gee her up a bit and go for several short brisk walks a day rather than a couple of longer plods.
Maybe try putting some food in a treat ball, so she's using up some energy having to roll it around to get it out?
Henry is an 11 year old Lab/Golden Retreiver cross and has always had weight issues (all down to me I know!). At the moment he weighs just under 44kgs which is too heavy and he is on Hills Prescription diet RD which does bulk the dog up. You can get it cheaper online at www.vetuk.co.uk than buying it at the vets. Henry has used it before and he got down to 38kgs but due to a partial crutiate rupture his exercise had to be cut down hence the weight gain again. It's never too late for your lab to lose weight, infact when they are older it would be better as they could be prone to diabetes and also hip dysplacia and also ruptured cruciate ligaments.
Sorry to go off topic a bit but if anyone does order from Vet UK, could you please consider going via the link here:
http://www.oldies.org.uk/?page_id=534
as we receive a donation then, without any extra cost to the shopper (not sure it applies to prescription only stuff, but any other purchases it does).
Im going to look into changing her food, as I really think she started putting on so much weight when my Father changed from the expensive food from the vets to the unheard of food delivered to the door. An in between I think might be good.
Im going to go over and weigh how much she is having and cut it down. Half biscuits from now on is a good idea and bulking out with veg.
Ill keep taking her down to the vets to be weighed and then we will know how we are doing.
Hi Jayne, I have 5 of mine having to loose weight due to being older, only plodding and having bad joints. Tegan (aka chocolate pudding!) was on the RD, only went through two bags because you do have to give very little but it does bulk them out, and I also included raw veggies as she loves to hoover them up! She lost her weight and then I went away and mum over fed her and she put it back on!! Very quickly I might add!
So then when I put all 5 on diets again a few months ago, after Henry was diagnosed with severe artritus, instead of payng out for the expensive RD. I just cut their usual biscuits by half and added two handfuls of chopped veggies to both of their feeds and the weight has just come off of them, slowly but surely.
Also they only have treats at night now, apart from little treats when I am out walking and training......and raw hide, they can chew that till the cows come home and not put on any weight!!
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Cutting out any tip bits might help, if he's giving her any. 
I hope they will accept your help as it will be good for Abby's health.
(not sure it applies to prescription only stuff, but any other purchases it does).
