Weight Management of Your Dog

The reality is that if your pet is carrying extra weight, they are at a higher risk of certain diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, as well as cancer and heart disease.

A study by the University of Liverpool of 50,000 dogs across 12 popular breeds, revealed the lifespan of dogs that were overweight was up to two and a half years shorter when compared to ideal-weight dogs. With the extra weight and pain in their joints; this resulted in dogs exercising less which compounded the problem even further.

Transitioning overweight dogs to a balanced plant-based diet can often reverse the negative effects of a high meat and saturated fat diet, enabling weight loss and improving energy levels. This automatically then results in dogs in dogs feeling better and having more energy which allows for more exercise.

Why is a plant-based diet so effective for weight control? – because fruits and vegetables provide highly nutritious options, with far fewer calories than traditional meat-based diets. Vet Dr Arielle Griffiths says that although it is possible to see an overweight plant-based dog (as some of the commercial plant-based complete diets are so palatable that owners tend to overfeed them to keep their dogs happy), the majority of dogs that transition are able to maintain a healthy weight allowing for a much improved quality of life.

 

What about dogs that are unable to keep the weight on when they transition to a plant-based diet?

This is a very real concern for many people with highly active dogs that transition  – they just cannot keep the weight on! Please enrol in our Plant-Based Dog Nutrition Course to learn all about the best way to control your dog’s weight if they need to put some on or lose some.

 

Enrol in our Plant-Based Nutrition Masterclass and get all the information that you need from a caring vet nutritionist