What Is The Fastest Way For A Dog To Lose Weight?
Many dogs suffer from a condition known as obesity. Obesity can be defined as the accumulation of excessive amounts of body fat in the body caused by either excessive caloric intake or insufficient exercise. It is important to note that obesity isn’t a problem only with domestic dogs, and it also affects wild animals and even humans.
In 2018, an estimated 60% of cats and 56% of dogs in the United States were overweight or obese. per Pet Obesity Prevention.
Consequences of obesity on dogs include arthritis, diabetes mellitus, hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease), right-sided valvular heart disease, decreased resistance to skin conditions such as infections and irritation due to excess weight against the skin surface.
Also heat intolerance when summer comes by getting overheated more easily than non obese ones do and difficulty doing simple things like running around for playing because of overweight which can result in depression.
It is important to note that obesity can be managed but not cured, so a dog who has gained excessive weight should be on a strict diet (under the guidance of veterinarian) and get extensive amount of physical exercise.
Having said that, what is the fastest way for a dog to losing weight?
Feeding them with healthy, high protein low calorie food is one option. The idea behind having such type of food is to have fewer calories while increasing the nutrient contents in foods.
For this reason, many professional breeders recommend low-calorie diets rich in proteins like fish or chicken meat even though they are much more expensive than regular dry dog food found at local retailers. It might also mean giving less treats, because low-calorie simply doesn’t mean no-calories.
If you or your vet determined that your dog is overweight, here are the top rated weight loss dog foods. They are all grain free, contain only natural ingredients, no by products or artificial colors, flavors and preservatives and they contain less fat.
Annamaet Grain Free Lean Low Fat Formula has half the fat of their other grain-free dog foods. In addition to help your dog lose weight, this formula will also work well for large breed puppies and dogs with pancreatitis. Designed for optimum health, Annamaet’s Grain-Free formulas can also help with ear, skin and coat issues as well as chronic digestive problems. Key Benefits Grain-free, holistic and naturally preserved Reduced fat formula Proteinated (Chelated) Minerals increases their utilization and strengthen the immune system Prebiotics- a natural ingredient that supports healthy digestion L-Carnitine’s involvement in fat metabolism helps maintain lean muscle mass and supports healthy cognitive function Algae – a stable and sustainable natural ingredient that is an excellent source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids DHA supports brain development and healthy cognitive function. Great for all life stages.
Eagle Pack Natural Dry Dog Food Formula is made with real pork, chicken & fish, with fewer calories than Eagle Pack Original to support healthy weight loss goals. Contains all natural ingredients. No corn, wheat, meat by-products, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Made in USA.
Wellness Core Reduced Fat Naturally Grain Free Formula is protein rich, lower fat recipe using real turkey, chicken & salmon oil to support your dog’s healthy weight management. Contains only premium, all natural ingredients with no wheat, corn, soy, meat by-products, or artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. Made in USA.
In my opinion, the best way for a dog lose weight fast is exercise.
At first, the amount of exercise must be limited in order not to over stress the dog’s body and increase risk of injuries or fractures. But after a few days or weeks (depending on what your veterinarian says), it would be time to start increasing physical activity gradually as long as your pet seems to enjoy and have enough energy left at the end of each day.
A regular walk can do wonders even though you might need to reduce duration for obese dogs until they are able to go longer distances without getting out of breath too quickly.
The operative word here is “gradually.” Some dogs are especially sensitive and can’t take a lot of exercise, so it is important to modify their activity levels depending on what you see.
You can help your dog maintain a healthy weight. My advice? Do not feed your dog some miraculous slimming pills, make an effort yourself and get the entire family involved!
Sit down together with them and plan out their exercises for days or weeks in advance. A couple of games here or there throughout the day might not seem like much but at the end of the week they add up. Jumping jacks, pull ups, push ups…you name it!
I believe that a healthy diet along with sufficient amount of exercise is one of the fastest ways for a dog weight loss safely.
Raw food diet is also a very healthy option. Other than weight loss, raw diet is especially good for skin and coat health plus it helps to maintain weight loss as raw food has less calories compared to cooked diets.
Based on the principle of “eating like your ancestors” and is very popular among dog owners who want to keep their pets healthy, boost their immunity, and avoid many illnesses that are caused by processed foods.
If you think about it, a person eating raw food would be considered extremely healthy. The same is true for dogs on such diet. Thus, one thing that comes into mind when considering what is the fastest way for a dog to lose weight – raw food diet.
There are lots of benefits when changing your pet’s feeding habits to natural or organic food. Organic homesteaders even produce homemade-style pet foods at home and feed their doggies with them (for example: here ). One problem with commercial diets is dryness and it’s very bad for your dog.
Homemade diets are raw – meats, veggies and eggs – while commercial foods mostly contain grains or rice that aren’t good for dogs as they overwork their kidneys in the process of digesting them. Actually, any carbs (even something like pasta) can be harmful to dogs if it’s taken regularly and in large amounts because there are no fibers in meat/eggs/veggies but grains have a lot.
Ready-made raw pet are also available at stores yet you can do it at home as well. What you should never compromise is the quality of ingredients, especially meat/eggs, because dogs may develop allergies even if they are not like that. As a rule of thumb, sticking to organic and human-grade food is ideal but things might get costly so brand isn’t really important.
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