Beagle mix weighs in at more than 60 pounds
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When poor little Patch, a Beagle mix, found his way to Glasgow’s Dogs Trust center in December, he topped the scales at 28 kg (almost 62 pounds). His owner had passed away, leaving no one to care for him, and it was clear to Dogs Trust staffers that he was in bad shape. The BBC explains:
His legs could not support his weight -- roughly equivalent to an 8-year-old child -- so he had to be carried around in a special harness... Victoria Kelly, from the centre, said: ‘We get a lot of overfed dogs in the centre, but nothing to the extent of Patch. ‘As soon as he came in we knew something needed to be done.’
Patch’s obesity can leave him vulnerable to such issues as heart failure, diabetes and liver disease -- but losing weight too quickly would be dangerous for him too.
The solution? Walking a little each day (in the aforementioned special harness) and having regular hydrotherapy treatments. Staffers hope that he’ll be able to healthfully reduce his weight to 15 kg (about 33 pounds) within a few months and are already looking for a new home for him -- one with an owner, says Kelly, ‘who can avoid falling for the charms of his big brown eyes, pleading for treats.’
The Assn. for Pet Obesity Prevention estimates that 10% of American dogs are obese. Check out its website for more information on healthy weight loss for dogs.
-- Lindsay Barnett
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