My dog is fat...?

Question

My shih tzu harley weighs about 30-35 lbs which is super fat for his breed. He is supposed to be between 10-15 lbs, 18 at the most. He gets one cup of food per day, which he doesn't really eat until night time. I try to take him for walks but he is so fat that he can make it to the top of the street then he refuses to walk anymore. We have another dog he can play with, yet he doesnt. He has tons of toys, but he doesn't play with them. I've taken him to the vet but they were truly useless. They told me to feed him less dog food! That was it. Ummm oh, he does get table scraps. He is quite the begger. I know this is one of the reasons he is fat. So, can anyone tell me how to help my doggie loose weight? I'm just worried he is so fat, that his little heart won't take much more then he'll die :(

Answer 1

Oh wow, where do I start, lol...I'm a vet tech and obesity in dogs is one of my personal crusades. It can cause numerous health issues especially in small breed dogs. First things first, has your pet's thyroid level been checked? Lethargy and obesity are two signs of hyporthyroidism. Next time you see your vet ask them to do a T4 to have this checked, especially if he has skin problems as well. If it comes back normal and your vet's office still has no answers for you the following suggestions would be your next steps.

You don't have to stop the table scraps but you have to change them. Instead of giving him meats, give him veggies, carrots are always a great place to start. You can also substitute a favorite toy for praise instead of treats. This is most effective if it is only used as a reward and then removed from general toy population.

Other things I usually ask are, do you feed your two dogs two different foods and are you feeding him all at once or splitting it throughout the day? If they eat seperately you may want to consider a low calorie food. The bag will have a suggested feeding portion for your dog's TARGET weight. DO NOT feed him at his current weight because you will only be maintaining his weight and you will not see results.

Next, gradually increase his excercise. You wouldn't be expect an obese person to immediately be able to do and hour or even 30 minutes of non-stop cardio so why would you expect a dog to do it? You can start with getting him more active in the home. Once again find his favorite toy that gets him most excited and increase his play time with it. Gradually take it outside and go from there.

Typically within a few months of these STRICT guidelines you should begin to see results. If not, your next step would be a prescription diet in place of the over the counter low calorie diet. Hill's has several diets such as 'w/d' and 'r/d' that have proven results.

Answer 2

Do not allow him to have table scraps no matter how pittiful he looks, not only has it made him fat, but it also could cause problems ranging from GI upset to pancreatitis. (We have a dog in our clinic now with pancreatitis, bc it got some ppl food) Also, try splitting that food up...1/2 cup in am, 1/2 cup in pm. That could be part of your problem. He's eating, then going to bed. Not good. Does he have a toy or something that he would sell his little doggy soul for. Have him play for 5 mins a day to start out with. That would help right there. Also, Science Diet (which is the food that we use where I work) has prescription diets for weight loss. They aren't like "Light" foods, those aren't really that much of a help anyways. These prescriptions are made for obese dogs, they are made to cut the calories. You can ask your vet about it, or if they aren't willing to help any, find a vet that will.

Answer 3

Dog food is for dogs and people food is for people. Stop the table scraps and you'll soon find your dog a more comfortable weight. If he begs for treats, try giving him small pieces of carrots or even doggy treats would be better than people food. And you're right, his heart and the rest of his body won't take much more of the people food before he has serious health issues, so if you really love your dog take care of his weight problem now or you may not have a "later" with him.
Sounds like you weren't happy with your vets diagnosis but he may be right. Did they do any blood work on Harley? If not they should have to rule out any thyroid problems which can contribute to weight gain.

Answer 4

If you just HAVE to feed table scraps (which you don't, you know), just feed him plain vegetables. Most dogs really like broccoli, green beans, etc. Don't, however, feed him things like peas or lima beans or potatoes, or carrots, because these have a lot of sugar and/or carbohydrates in them. You can also replace some of his regular food with canned, no salt green beans. If you take away 1/3 cup of food, replace it with about 1/2 cup of green beans.
Also, have your vet do a thyroid check. Your dog could suffer from low thyroid, which makes dogs (and people) listless, lacking in energy, depressed and fat. It also usually gives them flaky skin, like dandruff and sometimes thinning hair.
Don't give up on the walks. Just try to get him to go 10 steps further each time.........but don't do this until you check the thyroid.

Answer 5

WHat were you expecting your vet to say? AS much as 101 human fad diets try to deny it, the only way to loose weight regardless of species is to consume less calories or use more & hes in too bad shape to exersise. So feed 1/2 cup and NO SCRAPS. IF your too soft hearted feed the low cal formulas or mix the dog food with green beans.

Answer 6

we have the same shih tzu breed,, vet told me he is underweight for normal weight for puppy when we got him from the breeder, \ the vet recommended pet food is not what he wants to eat and he refused to eat that pet food, I was so frustrated trying to give him this pet food just to follow the directions the vet ordered to do so and we went back on the next check up and he lose more weight than ever , but my puppy is the one who will suffered for starving so I had to change his pet food recommendation with my eyes closed and we are happy to find better pet foods.He now regains and love his food, though it is bit expensive I know he is happy and active.
I dont feed him table craps, that is why he does not go to table to beg for something just sit quietly under the table, I think what they said to feed him to less dog food or avoid table scraps
is OK, carefully watch his feeding schedules , and watch out other members of the family giving him food without checking it, have to feed him less.
I have no regret when my pup refused to take the pet food that was recommended when I found this link,,good I made more readings and try to look for better food for him. good that they made refund for those who wishes to return this pet food we bought.
Dogs are different in many ways, the way you take care of them and the way they live happy and healthy is the success being a good owner to them. It is never too late, have him take to the vet again and proceed to take the T4 test as everyone recommended..it wont hurt your dog and save his life. .
good luck!

Answer 7

Lessen those scraps everyday, each time less until there is no more. Feed him the proportion he needs of his dog food, maybe you might want to get a better brand. Make sure to excercise with him, make it more intense little by little each day. You and him will have a great time together, and remember, if he keeps begging after all this, a firm NO should all to it.

Answer 8

Stop giving him scraps they are bad for him and keep up the exercise. Even if he only walks to the top of the hill its more than when he is laying around the house. Try a food for him that is especially for dogs on diets.

Answer 9

You answered your own question already. You admitted to feeding him other than his dog food. You could cut his food in half and feed him morning and night. If he does not finish his morning meal, remove it after fifteen to twenty minutes and do not feed him again until his dinner. Stop treating the dog with table scraps, or if you cannot, give them to him in his kibble, but adjust the amount you are feeding.

I think this is more about you not having self control than the dog not exercising. lol

Good luck
RR

Answer 10

Your dog may have a thyroid condition and that is why he is unable to lose weight. I would either contact your vet regarding a blood test to check the thyroid or find another vet to get this done. If the thyroid is not functioning properly medication can be prescribed. If that is not the problem then they can prescribe a prescription weight loss diet