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Q. I have a chubby dog, and I've tried and tried to get the weight off her. Our best guess (combined between my vet and me) is that she's a beagle/border collie/Australian shepherd mix. She'll be 6 in January and has been overweight since she was about 18 or 24 months. I've tried diet foods with very little success, and any weight she does lose, she manages to pile back on. I'm stingy with treats -- only give little pieces at a time, and they're low cal. She's about 60 lbs., and the vet would like to see her between 50 to 55 lbs. She was 45 lbs. at about 9 or 10 months old (spayed at 6 months). She gets 2 cups a day of vegetarian kibble (she's developed food allergies and there's no weight loss low allergen food) and limited treats. We walk for 40 minutes twice a day. We've never missed a check-up and besides environmental and food allergies, she's in perfect health. Thyroid was tested just over a year ago and it's fine. My vet keeps telling me to cut back on her food. But, if I cut her food back any lower than 2 cups a day (1 cup twice a day), she's insanely hungry and won't settle. She'll "surf" the counter, help herself to the garbage, anything to get a morsel of food if I cut her back any further. I don't know what else to do to get (and keep) the weight off of her. Can you help? -- Deborah C., Toronto, ON Canada

A. It does sound like you are doing everything right but still not making any headway with her obesity. The vegetarian diets seem to all be high in fat and very quickly digested, leaving the dog hungry within hours of eating. I suggest you look at novel protein diets like Duck, Fish or Venison. These may work for the allergies and satisfy her hunger better. IVD (Innovative Veterinary Diets) by Royal Canin even makes a "novel protein" light food. My next thought would be a new medicine called Slentrol by Pfizer. You can get more information at http://www.slentrol.com. You can read the details, but it helps block fat absorption without blocking the absorption of essential nutrients. Finally, hugs and pats on the head are a lot lower calorie than even your low cal treats. Good luck. -- Dr. Mitch

Dr. Mitch Spindel, Animal Ark Veterinary Hospital

Mitchell Spindel, DVM, Animal Ark Veterinary Hospital

Dr. Spindel earned his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Oklahoma State University. He practiced in Syracuse, New York before he and his wife and children relocated to beautiful North Carolina. Dr. Spindel is a past President of the Forsyth County Veterinary Medical Association. He is the veterinarian for Sci-Works in Winston-Salem, NC and is active with the Forsyth Humane Society, Animal Adoption and Rescue Foundation and Greyhound Friends.

Animal Ark Veterinary Hospital

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