Weight Loss Success Story

Lucy's Weight Loss Success Story:

Lucy - 95 lbs and BCS 3/5

 Lucy is a 5 year old female Newfoundland dog, and this is her story of how she managed to go from fat to fit with the help of proper diet, exercise, and support from her Veterinary professionals at Royal City Animal Hospital in Guelph. 

By the time Lucy was 18 months old she had already started to develop a weight problem. She was eating a commercial pet food from a pet store and allowed to eat as much as she wanted.  While some dogs are able to successfully regulate their own feeding amounts and only consume what their bodies require, Lucy was not one of them!  Between the high calorie content of her food and her love of eating Lucy grew to 130lbs - 30 lbs overweight.  At her annual health check she was diagnosed with a luxating patella, a condition in which the knee cap slides out of its normal position causing pain and lameness.  This condition is just one of the many medical problems often associated with obesity, along with diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart disease, and torn cruciate ligaments.

Lucy underwent orthopedic surgery to correct her knee, but her owner’s were given strict orders to get some of the excess weight off in order to help her heal and to prevent further problems. Her owner’s agreed to do a medically approved weight loss program with the support of her veterinary team to help monitor her progress.  

Her weight loss program consisted of an emphasis on proper diet, veterinary care, and increased exercise.

She was fed a veterinary exclusive diet which is lower in calories, high in protein and psyillium fiber. The increased fiber bulks up in the stomach causing a feeling of fullness or (satiety), and the increased protein takes longer for the body to digest, thereby helping to curb her appetite making her feel fuller – longer; with less food and calories.

Her family was careful to measure her meals precisely as directed by her veterinary technician, and made sure to bring her in for regular weigh-ins. Over the course of 13 months, Lucy’s weight began to drop. With this specially formulated diet, she never felt hungry and her owners were very good about not offering too many treats.

Lucy's weight loss progress report

In time, her weight slowly went from 130lbs in March, 2011 with a body condition score of 4.5/5 to 95lbs in the beginning of May 2012 with a body condition score of 3/5. A difference of 35 lbs. Body Condition Score is the way we accurately assess a dog or cats weight – are the ribs easily felt; is there a defined waistline; is there a nice abdominal tuck? In Lucy’s case – she is perfect – she has achieved her ideal weight and condition.

Congratulations Lucy – and your owners for caring enough to making your health their first priority. 

If you think your pet might have a weight issue, please let us help your pet reach their ideal weight just like we helped Lucy, Zeus, Nelly, and many others.  Call today: 519-763-4992

Reunited....and it feels so good

Micro-chipping saves lives.....and reunites families

After months of missing their lovely cat "Priscilla", a very happy reunion took place here at Royal City Animal Hospital.

A family in Rockwood, Ontario found her hanging around their house, and had been feeding her and caring for her as a 'neighbourhood stray' hoping she would find her way home. After weeks of caring for her, they brought her to our clinic so we could scan her to see if she is micro-chipped. The scan was successful.

Priscilla's family live in Ariss, Ontario and somehow she escaped on them. How she made it from her home in Ariss to Rockwood, we will never know, but because she was micro-chipped, we were able to contact the microchip company and find her owner. A couple of phone calls was all it took to find the owner and inform them that their beloved cat was found, and safe.

If her owner's had not had the wisdom to microchip her, this reunion would never have taken place and who knows what kind of life Priscilla would have had.

From Ariss to Rockwood is a long walk

Cuba Canines

I recently spent a week in Varadero, Cuba where we went off our 5-star resort to explore the local streets.  Eating where the locals eat and experiencing the local culture can be challenging in the tourist town of Varadero.

The one thing that we found was not part of the ‘tourist trap’, were the local canines.  They seemed very much at ease criss-crossing the streets, greeting  all of the tourists as if they were employed by the local hotels to promote their business. Of course none of them were spayed or neutered, but they all seemed in good health.  Someone is looking out for each and every one of them I think. 

It was nice for us to get our ‘canine fix’ as we like to call it when we are away from our own canine companions.  It was truly a pleasure meeting each and every one who crossed our paths!

by: Martha, Pet Care Coordinator

The Incredible Shrinking "Zeus"

Have you ever been told that your pet is overweight?
Dont be discouraged....here is a success story that will hopefully inspire you in your weight loss goal for your own pet.

This is a tale of a cat who was overweight and his owner (who is a staff member here at the clinic by the way) recognized that Zeus had become less active, his ability to jump up was dwindling, and his overall health was in jeopardy.  She made the decision to get the excess weight off and he was put on our "Slim Fit Program".  He was brought in for blood work prior to starting the program, to ensure there was no underlying health concerns, and with the blood work indicating there were no other problems - Zeus' life was about to change.

His starting weight was 14.78 lb on May 28/2011 with a Body Condition Score of 4.5/5.

He was put on a  good quality low calorie diet which is high in protein and psyllium fibre to ensure Zeus was always well fed and satiated. His portions are carefully measured every day to esure he is never overfed, and his treats were restricted to very low calorie healthy snacks given in moderation as incentive to exercise.

Several weeks went by and his weight went down to 14.6, and then 14.4 lbs a few weeks after that. At that point Zeus' weight plateaued and he stayed at 14.4 lbs for the next 4 weeks with no change. Plateauing is something that happens to almost every animal on a weight loss program, and so do not dispair. Eventually the weight started to come off again, and by the end of July he was down to 13.8 lbs.

As of Today he is 13.0 lbs with a Body Condition Score of 3.5/5. He still has a little more weight to lose, but having already lost 1.78 lbs - his activity level has increased and he now runs around playing with balls and other toys and such. The increase in activity will increase his metabolism and he will continue to drop the weight at a nice slow and steady pace.

His suggested goal is to get to 12 lbs - but we will continue to assess him and see where he really needs to be. Its not just about the pounds as it is about how he 'wears' that number.

Weight loss in cats has to be a slow process - they should not lose weight too quickly as it can drastically affect their health. So...if you have an overweight cat....be patient and persistent. Weight loss for your cat can happen with proper nutrition, portion control, increased exercise and limited treats. Ask your veterinary staff how they can help you get the extra pounds off your pet.

Puppy Survives after ingesting a Flagpole

At Veterinary clinics we see animals that  have eaten strange and bizarre things all the time, but this story has got to take the "flag".

This cute little PitBull puppy swallowed a garden flag pole........and Survived to tell the tale.

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/local_news/water_cooler/puppy-survives-after-swallowing-garden-flagpole

Many animals eat weird things and can lead to hefty vet costs to remove them from your pet.....
Pet Insurance is a great way to help with those costs.