I just had an idea. I'm not sure if anyone else has come up with it before. A friend of mine is having weight loss issues with her dog. The dog has been to the vet and is being checked for metabolic issues, though none are obvious from initial blood work. The vet prescribed a VERY low calorie prescription diet. I'm not going to get into my opinion on prescription diets here beyond saying that I generally think they are crap with crap ingredients and are way overpriced. Another friend brought up the issue of feeding too few calories and starvation mode, which I hadn't thought of before and is a very valid concern.
My friend has increased the dog's activity along with reduced calories and believes the dog looks fitter, but the dog has gained 5 lbs. It popped in my head that weight might not necessarily be the best measure. Muscle weighs more than fat, as we all know. I suggested using measurements to help gauge the weight loss as well. I've never heard of using measurements in pets before for tracking weight loss and fitness. It popped into my head from the little I know about humans and tracking weight loss and fitness. I suggested using a soft measuring tape to measure the top of the neck right behind the ears, the base of the neck, the girth, and the base of the abdomen by the hips and where the back legs start. Doing the measurements can't hurt and may give an indicator of fitness. I've just never heard of doing measurements for pets before. Might be a good idea...
Do any of you struggle with your pet's weight? What has been most helpful? Please feel free to share in the comments.
I still struggle with keeping weight ON Kaline. He's eating a lot better, but it looks like I reduced his food volume too much when we switched from TOTW to Orijen (4 cups a day to 3 cups). We're back up to 4 cups! And of course now he thinks breakfast is not a real thing anymore. Diva.
ReplyDelete