Weight Clinic
- Weight Check
-
- Feeding
- Exercise
- Weight loss tips
- Q&A
Pets Get Slim resident vet Joe Inglis is here to answer your questions. If you've got a question about your pet's diet, exercise or health issues relating to weight gain or loss that you'd like to put to Joe, please email askjoe@petsgetslim.co.uk.
Diet
Hilary Moore for Bonnie and Patsie asks:
"Dear Joe, Can I supplement my dogs’ meals with plain boiled rice or pasta to bulk it out a bit or would this defeat the object of the exercise? One dog has to lose 5kg and the other a massive 10kg "
Joe says:
"Hi Hilary (and Bonnie and Patsie), You certainly can add rice or pasta to your dogs’ food, but it would defeat the object if you’re trying to encourage weight loss as both pasta and rice are relatively rich in calories and will not help your dogs lose weight. It would be better to bulk out their food with something less rich such as grated raw veg or bran, both of which will largely pass through the system undigested and therefore not contribute energy to the meal. Hope that helps. Best wishes, Joe"
Angela asks:
"Dear Joe, What is the best thing to feed my dog? He is just a year old and weighs 10lbs. He is a larger type chi but is still putting on weight although he has minimum food and lots of exercise. He has an egg cup full of wet food twice a day, and a very small handful of light biscuits, no treats, maybe one at bedtime! Angela"
Joe says:
"Hi Angela, It is amazing how some dogs can put on weight despite seeming to eat very little indeed! However, you need to remember that your dog is very small, so even a handful of biscuits and egg cup of wet food is actually a significant amount of food for him – in fact it sounds as though it is too much for him if he is putting on weight. I would suggest reducing his food by around 20% - so make that handful of biscuits smaller, and don’t fill the egg cup right up with wet food. And think about replacing that bedtime treat with something really low fat, such as a bit of raw carrot, as even that one treat could be contributing significantly to his weight problem. Hope that helps. Best wishes, Joe Inglis"
Carley asks:
"Dear Joe, I have a cat called Paw's, she is cross breed, half Main Coone, half Tabby. Since I got her neutered she has put on a significant amount of weight. I now have her on a diet of Royal Canin Neutered female biscuits (from the vets) and I only give her 50g throughout the day. She now wakes me up really early because she is really hungry and I am worried that this food isn't filling her up enough. Should I be persistent and carry on or should I give her a little bit more to stop her hunger? Also she is very lazy and getting outside to do any exercise is a nightmare ha-ha. Carley "
Joe says:
"Hi Carley, This is a very typical example of the problem facing many cat owners – after neutering, the hormonal balance in the body changes leading to a slower metabolic rate, which means that it is much easier for cats to put on weight. You have also highlighted another common problem of the ‘negative feedback cycle’ that many pets get into when they start to put on weight – they get bigger, so they are less mobile, so they put on more weight and so on. What I’d advise in this case is to persist with the diet she is on, if it seems to be helping her lose weight, as it is very important that she does get back down to a healthy weight. Make sure you weigh her regularly and talk to your vet or vet nurse to make sure you know exactly what weight to aim for. If you want to cheer her up a bit while she’s on the diet, this is a simple recipe for a relatively low fat treat for a cat: Mackerel Morsels: 1 can mackerel in brine, 1 cup wholegrain breadcrumbs, 1 egg (beaten) and half a teaspoon brewer’s yeast (optional). Mash up the fish in a bowl and add in the other ingredients. Mix together well and then, using wet hands, press into small balls and place onto a well-greased baking tray.Cook in a moderate oven for 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container, and feed as sparingly as you can! Best wishes, Joe Inglis "
Carol Gilbert asks:
"Dear Joe, I have a nine-year-old terrier cross who was castrated six months ago. He is now about 3kgs overweight. I've cut his food down but he hasn't lost any weight. I'm very concerned as he's slowed down such a lot and has no energy because of his weight. Can you please help? Thanks, Carol Gilbert"
Joe says:
"Hi Carol, Neutering certainly can lead to weight gain as it alters the rate at which the body metabolises food and therefore changes how much energy an animal needs. Sometime you need to reduce food intake by as much as 30% after neutering simply to maintain the pre-operation weight, so it might be that you have not cut his food down enough. As well as reducing the amount of food, you could try changing to a light or diet version with less calories, as this will help as well. The only other outside possibility to consider is another separate problem such as an underactive thyroid gland which could cause lethargy and weight gain. But this is much less common in small breeds than larger dogs so is unlikely in this case – but worth talking to your vet about if you are worried that nothing seems to be helping his weight gain. Best Wishes, Joe Inglis"
Sophie (and Will!) asks:
"Dear Joe, I'm Sophie Higgett (soph_ie on petsgetslim), owner of Will, and I was wondering why in the breed list there wasn't Patterdale Terrier, because Will is a Patterdale, not a Jack Russell. Also, I wanted to double check how much food a small dog is supposed to be fed each day, as I am spending most of my time trying to stop my Dad overfeeding Will! He always gives Will too much dry dog food, and I always put quite a lot of it back again! If I knew how much to measure for the dog, I could know Will isn't being overfed. I recently found out that broccoli was toxic to dogs; I know chocolate and onions are, but never knew about broccoli. What other foods are toxic to dogs? One last thing: do you have any top tips to stop grandparents (and dads!) giving titbits and treats to the dog? Thank you so much! Sophie (and Will!)"
Joe says:
"Hi Sophie, Thanks for letting us know that Patterdale Terriers are missing from the breed list – we’ll look into this. Feeding amounts are a really tricky thing to advise on as it depends on the food and the individual dog – but in general, for a ‘normal’ dry food, around 220g per day for a 10kg dog is about average. So for a Patterdale terrier, I would expect you should be feeding around 150-170g per day (which is usually about a large cup full). However, do check the food you are feeding – and the weight of your dog to make sure you have got that right. And remember to feed for the weight you want him to be, rather than his current weight. Broccoli is not dangerous to dogs – there have been reports of large amounts causing illness in livestock, but I am not aware of any issues when relatively small amounts are fed to pets. Things that are dangerous include onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, chocolate, grapes and raisins, and all of these should be avoided. And finally, tips for stopping grandparents and dads overfeeding dogs? How about a feeding equivalent of a swear box, where you make them put money in a box every time they give the dog a titbit? If it starts costing them money, you’ll soon find they’ll stop! Best Wishes, Joe Inglis"
Heather asks:
"Dear Joe, My cat will only eat at night. I have been advised to feed my cat (Batcat) four small meals a day but the food I put out during day goes completely untouched. I then put a dish of food out at 10pm which she eats fairly quickly and then just mews all night wanting more. Should I just give her one big pile of food when I go to bed and let her get on with it or should I persevere with the little and often regime? Batcat is 12 months old and weighs about 4kg. She is a rescue cat. Your advice will be gratefully received. Heather"
Joe says:
"Dear Heather, If Batcat is not overweight and is generally healthy there is no reason why she couldn’t eat one large meal if that’s what she wants – unless she bolts it down and then is sick, there’s no real reason why this would be bad for her. If she is overweight though, I would stick to your current regime of feeding her when she’s not that keen on eating as it sounds like a relatively easy way of controlling her intake and her weight! Best Wishes, Joe Inglis"
Janie asks:
"Dear Joe, I have two cats, brothers, who are approximately 3½ years old. O’malley is petite and not overweight. Orion is naturally a bigger cat and recently I noticed he is struggling to get through the cat flap and I have realised he is starting to put weight on. I feed them Iams which is left down for them all the time, and for a long time I have been giving them ½ a tin of gourmet cat food a day. For the last few weeks I have been doing this twice a day as Orion has some medicine that I need him to have twice a day. This is still a small quantity of wet food and surely cannot be responsible for his weight gain. I do give them cat treats but not everyday, and sometimes I give them fish and chicken but not very often and only small portions. Can you recommend anything to regulate this weight gain? Regards, Janie"
Joe says:
"Hi Janie, It’s always tricky where you have one slim and one overweight cat – but it is usually possible to slim down the fat cat without causing any problems for the thin one. In this case I suspect the culprit might be the pile of dry food they are grazing on all day rather than the small amount of extra wet food. I would suggest letting the dry food run out on a regular basis – for example, don’t always top it up before you got to bed. This should reduce their intake of the very calorie-dense dry food and help reduce Orion’s weight without causing O’malley any problems. Best wishes, Joe Inglis"
Debbie Martindale - Newark, Notts. asks:
"Dear Joe, I wondered if you could provide me with any tips which might actually work in my battle to help my cat get slim. Maya is a Bengal and is the youngest of our three cats (Willow the oldest is a rescue moggie, and Mau a Siamese). Maya has been highlighted as an overweight cat the last two check ups that she has had. I felt that her weight gain commenced after she was neutered. However I have followed the vet’s instructions and have given only 50g of dry food per cat per day, divided into two/three feeds. We also try to get Maya to exercise; she plays fetch with paper balls, chases laser lights and cat ticklers etc. The problem seems to be that Maya eats more than her share of the 50g per cat per day and Mau and Willow are often hungry! If we try to feed Mau and Willow on their own Maya calls so loudly that she distresses them and they don't feed. Maya is a very boisterous cat, she often plays a little too rough for the other two. If she wants to feed when the other two are eating she will barge her way to the bowl and the other two submit! If anything Maya is gaining weight at the other two's detriment. I'm running out of things to try, please help! "
Joe says:
"Hi Debbie, This sounds like a tricky situation – and is not an unusual problem for cat owners to face when trying to help one cat lose weight in a multi-cat household. It sounds as though you are doing lots of things to try and help the situation, and it sounds as though you are running out of ideas! Unfortunately there isn’t a magic answer to this, and it may be that you have to accept that there is only so much you can do and it’s never going to be possible to get Maya’s weight down completely. As long as she’s not seriously overweight, and your vet is not worried about any specific health issues, it may be that you have to accept that she will always be on the chubby side of normal. However, if her weight problem is more significant, you may need to try some other tactics, including switching all the cats onto a light or low calorie diet (this will obviously only work if your other cats are on the large side as well), and being stricter with Maya’s feeding regime and feeding the others in a completely separate room so Maya can’t bully her way to extra rations! I hope that’s of some help – and best of luck with her! Joe"
Darryl and Coco asks:
"Hi Joe Am hoping you can help me. I have a chocolate Labrador who is nearly 2kg over where she should be. We have put her on Bakers weight control, which has a rough guide as to how much she should get depending on her weight. She now weighs about 30kg and we would like her to be 28kg. The guide states that she should be getting anything from 325g per day to 500g per day. What would you recommend? I’ve worked it out that currently she is getting about 300g per day with not much improvement. She’s been on this food since October and I hope its not unhealthy to have her on this food for too long. Any help would be great. Many thanks. "
Joe says:
"Hi Darryl, Labradors are renowned for their ability to put on weight despite being fed almost no food at all – in fact some people swear that their Labradors put on weight simply by breathing air! Whilst it’s not really that extreme, it is true that Labradors, especially those who have been neutered, do have a very low requirement for calories, and it can be very hard indeed to help them lose weight. In situations like this, you can try reducing her food even further, perhaps down to as little as 270g per day – but you do run the risk of her missing out on some of the essential nutrients she needs if she is eating so little. A better alternative would be to ask your vet about proper prescription diet foods as these are designed to maintain the levels of essential nutrients at much lower calorie levels than mainstream light foods. Best Wishes, Joe Inglis"
Joanne Linton. asks:
"Dear Joe, My cat was told to go on a diet by my vet in April. He was 6.75kg and has a target weight of 5kg to reach. The vet did not give me any advice on what to do to help my cat Rascal lose weight and suggested that I seek advice from the internet. I feel quite weary about this as not all internet sites are reliable or trustworthy. I am now asking you, what I need to do. There are a number of problems to contend with. 1. Rascal lives in a family home with myself my Mam and my Dad and we all feed him making it difficult to regulate his intake. 2. Neighbours feed him. 3. Rascal is very naughty if he does not get food when hungry as he scratches furniture and nibbles hands and feet! He even wakes my Mam during the night to be fed. If he does not get food he wrecks the house. 4. My Mam does not think that Rascal needs to go on a diet so will not make an effort. 5. Rascal Kills many birds and mice, I worry if we don't feed him enough he will kill more animals. What can I do? Our last cat was overweight which did not help him when he died and I worry that Rascal will develop problems if he continues to get fatter. Please help. "
Joe says:
"Hi Joanne, I’m disappointed that your vet didn’t give you more advice on how to help Rascal lose weight, as that is something that I think all vets should do when they see an overweight animal. From what you have said, it’s clear that in order to get Rascal’s weight down you’re going to need to get the whole family on board – specifically your Mam, as it sounds as though she could be the real culprit here! Talk to her about the problem and explain how serious it is for Rascal to be so overweight – he is around 30% over his ideal weight which would be the same as a 9 stone woman being 12 stone! Once you have convinced the family, make a note of everything he eats during the day and plan to reduce his total calorific intake by around 20%. Don’t worry too much about mice and birds, as cats often don’t eat them all – and they also use up a lot of energy in catching them. Concentrate on the food you give him, and be very strict and stick to his new daily ration. You should see the weight come off nice and gradually and aim to reach his target weight in around 6-9 months all being well. Good luck! Joe Inglis"
Rebecca asks:
"Dear Joe I own two male cats, one is slim whilst the other (a big ginger cat) is a little overweight. They are both one and a half years old. Monty (the ginger tom) is extremely friendly and although he spends a lot of time outside of the house, I know that he visits other people and no doubt is being fed elsewhere. Both cats are fed the same amount twice a day with a mix of dry (Science Plan or Nature's Best) combined with some wet food (half a tin of tuna each, one small can of Applaws or half a pouch of Felix each) - how can I get Monty to lose weight? He's also lost interest in his toys, has become quite grumpy and lost his purr unless we spoil him rotten and let him sleep in the bedroom. "
Joe says:
"Hi Rebecca, This is a common problem and a tricky one to resolve. You can try cutting down the amount of food you feed to both cats, but supplement the thinner cat’s food separately – perhaps when Monty is out and about, or in a different room. You can also try playing more games with Monty, and try an electric toy which you can leave on while you are out, as these can really help cats to burn off excess energy and lose weight. Best Wishes, Joe Inglis"
Clare, Karl and a fat Alfie asks:
"Dear Joe, I have a 3yr old Cavalier who is in desperate need of losing quite a few kgs (five to be precise) however it doesn't seem to matter what we do the weight just won't budge. He has a bad heart so I don't want to overdo the exercise in case we make him worse but at the same time he really needs to get the weight off so that his heart doesn't get worse. At present we feed him some chicken with a small handful of bran flakes as he has a very sensitive stomach and doesn't cope to well with dog food. Any help/advice would me most appreciated. Regards, Clare, Karl & a fat Alfie"
Joe says:
"Dear Clare, Karl and fat Alfie Five kilos is an awful lot for a Cavalier to lose – probably as much as 30% of his body weight – so he really is in urgent need of a successful diet regime if he’s to avoid serious health consequences. I think in this case you need to work closely with your vet or vet nurse to establish a strict diet, and schedule of weighing sessions so you can monitor his progress very carefully. I know you say that nothing will budge his weight, but there is always a solution to any overweight dog. It might just be a much more restricted diet than you could imagine, and I think you need your vet’s detailed input to work this out and give you the confidence you need to implement a very strict regime. Good luck! "
Chevy's Grannie asks:
"Dear Joe I have a three-year-old Springer Spaniel, he weighed in at 29 kilograms at the beginning of January. He now weighs 27 kilograms. He is on Bakers dry food as it is the one food that suits him. I am feeding him 180 grams in the morning and 180 grams in the evening. Can you please advise if this is the right amount for him or can I give him less safely? The only other foodstuffs he has, are raw carrots and a dentistix, but not every day. Regards, Chevy's Grannie,"
Joe says:
"Hi Chevy’s Grannie, I can’t give you an accurate answer on the amount of Baker’s to feed him, as I don’t know the specific details of that food. However from what you’ve told me about his weight, it would seem as though you are about spot on as he’s losing weight at a reasonable but not overly rapid rate (you should aim for around 1.5% reduction in body weight per week as a safe maximum). So as long as he continues to head in the right direction towards his target weight at this kind of rate, I’d suggest keeping his feeding regime as it is. "
Sarah asks:
"Dear Joe, I have my mother's dog Polly. She is approx five years old (Jack Russell), had been spoiled rotten, overweight, five teeth had to come out, and after months of re-hab, now fully understands that she is actually a dog person. Having now lost 1kg through proper diet (high protein, low fat dog food), my vet says to keep her weight at this new level. However, she is so active now, and eating proper dog food (not human junk), she may continue to lose weight as my husband and I take her everywhere with us and are so happy to see her acting like a proper dog. What do you suggest to maintain her weight? Regards Sarah Mitchell Nisbet"
Joe says:
"Dear Sarah I think you should be able to maintain her weight relatively easily by checking her weight regularly and adjusting the amount of food you give her accordingly. If she has reached her ideal weight, then you may need to increase her food very slightly to maintain that, but you might also find that her current ration is sufficient to keep her at this lower weight. If she does lose weight, then you’d have to increase her ration, and if her weight starts to creep back upwards again, then obviously reduce it – it’s usually fairly simple and once you have worked out the amount of food that keeps her weight constant, you can keep her on that long term. "
Brandi G asks:
"Dear Joe, We have five female chihuahuas, some of which are retired mothers, and we are having trouble keeping the weight off. I'd say that of the five, three are having the worst time. The youngest is about four years old and at 15 lbs. We are very afraid that she will not be around very long if she continues at this rate. Is there a way to put her on a diet? We have already lessened the amount of food they all eat, but with them eating at different times it is hard to monitor them. Also, the youngest/biggest gets aggressive and makes the others move in order for her to get food...even if she is not very hungry. What do we do? We are very concerned for their health. Sincerely, Brandi G."
Joe says:
"Dear Brandi, It’s always tricky when you have a group of dogs living together and they have different dietary needs. From the sound of things though, I suspect that all five of your dogs could do with losing weight to some degree, so putting them all on a group diet might well be a reasonable approach. However, before doing this I’d talk to your vet and ask him or her to give you a target weight for each dog so you can monitor them all and make sure they are all losing weight safely and not falling below their ideal weight. To reduce their weight, a low calorie or prescription weight control food may well be the best approach in this case, and again your vet would be the best person to advise you on a suitable food that would work for all 5 dogs. Alternatively you could look at simply reducing their total ration, but with the youngest dog bullying her way to the lion’s share of the food, this approach may not be effective, for her at least. Feeding this one greedy dog on her own may also be worth considering, allowing you to feed the others in a more controlled manner without her interfering with their diets. "
Weight Check
Lucy asks:
"Dear Joe My dog is a miniature pinscher he is one year old. He weighs 6.35kg but he should be 3.8kg - is this right? I feed him on IAMS with Butchers dog food. I have cut his food down and he is still overweight. He has been on this diet for one week but it is making o difference. What should I do?"
Joe says:
"Hi Lucy, It’s impossible to give you an accurate assessment of your dog’s ideal weight without seeing him, so I think you should either ask your vet to assess him and give you an accurate target weight, or take a look at the body condition score assessment facility here on Pets Get Slim. This will help you assess exactly how overweight he is – and therefore how much further you need to reduce his rations. If he definitely is overweight, you’ll need to cut his rations back even further, or consider changing diet to a lower calorie version. Regular weighing is then vital to keep a close check on his weight and make sure he is losing weight at a safe and reasonable level (about 1-2% per week, or 6-9g per week in his case). Best Wishes Joe Inglis"
Pet health
Carol asks:
"Dear Joe, I have a terrier x, he's nine years old and was castrated six months ago. He is now about 3kgs overweight. I've cut his food down but he hasn't lost any weight. I'm very concerned as he's slowed down such a lot and has no energy because of his weight. Can you please help? Carol"
Joe says:
"Dear Carol, 3 kg’s is a significant amount of excess bodyweight for a terrier to be carrying, so you do need to address this issue – especially as it does seem to be affecting your dog’s quality of life. I would suggest switching his food to a light or weight control diet if you haven’t already done so, and keep a feeding diary to make sure you’re aware of every single thing he eats every day. It’s very easy to forget about the left-overs he eats after lunch, or the snack he has before bed, but these can represent a significant amount of calories, especially in a small dog. Look at his food diary and see what you could reduce or remove from his intake, or consider replacing a rich snack with something lower in calories such as a piece of raw veg. Best Wishes, Joe Inglis"
Lilly asks:
"Dear Joe I have a three-year-old British Bulldog who was always very fit and healthy, unfortunately she started to have seizures and was put on Epiphen and Genitrix. Her weight has now ballooned and she is around 8kg over weight and very lethargic. Can you recomend a diet please. She is currently on Pedigree Chum Complete Weight Control but is still putting on weight. Thank You Lilly"
Joe says:
"Dear Lilly It’s unusual for dogs to gain significant amounts of weight due to treatment for epilepsy, so I wonder if there is another underlying cause such as neutering? If she was spayed recently, that would be a more likely reason for the weight gain than the Epiphen or supplement. However, whatever the reason for her weight gain, the solution is going to be the same – less food and more exercise! Pedigree chum is quite a rich food, so I would suggest changing to something else, ideally a natural complete food that will keep her healthy and be less rich. I would also look at the amount you’re feeding her every day, including extras such as treats and snacks, and try to cut out up to 30% of her daily calories. It would be a good idea to work with your vet or vet nurse to make sure she loses weight safely, and they could give you more detailed advice on exactly how much to feed her every day."
Behaviour
Vivienne asks:
"Dear Joe, Please could you tell me if there is an ideal time to feed my Labrador bitch called Inka. She is 3 years old, and we have owned her for 2 weeks now, however, she is waking us up at 4.30/5am in the morning. Is this a normal routine for a dog her age, or is she waking up as she is hungry. I am feeding her a dry mix of Beta at 7am and 5pm, and letting her out for the toilet just before bedtime around 10pm. My husband usually gets up for work at 6am, and it would be great if she could give us that extra bit of sleep in the morning. I would be grateful of your advice. Many thanks "
Joe says:
"Hi Vivienne, This sounds more like a behavioural issue rather than a feeding problem, and I suspect she is waking up because she wants some attention – and from the sound of things, she gets it! The only way to solve this is to try and ignore her and set a firm rule that you don’t go down to here until a certain time. It may take a few days of sleepless howling before she gets the message, but it will do the trick, and she’ll soon realise it’s pointless making a fuss too early, and she’ll get her attention and food if she waits patiently! Don’t give her extra food or you will quickly have an overweight dog on your hands – as well as encouraging her nocturnal bad behaviour! Best Wishes Joe Inglis"
Slimmer of the week
- Name:
- Arnie
- Age:
- 6
- Animal:
- dog
- Breed:
- Labrador Retriever
- Weight:
- 49.90 kg
- Target weight:
- 31.90 kg
- Reason:
- Meet this friendly chap - Arnie. He's a retired show dog who loves everything and everybody. Arnie needs to lose almost 18kg - good luck with the diet Arnie and welcome to Pets Get Slim.
- View Arnie's Pets Page
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