Metabolic suppliment ?

[Jerrybo66]

Our rescue Rottie needs to lose 20#. Extensive tests for rapid breathing found no cause except possibly her being overweight. While the weather was cooler, diet dog food and exercise yielded little results. Now the temps here in AZ. will reach over 100 and not much below at night that about eliminates exercise. I got some Hills Metabolic Diet food from the Vet that she won't eat. From the smell, I don't blame her. The attendant at the Vet's office said the "metabolic" prescription diet will cause weight loss without exercise. I'm not sold on the ingredients of Hills, including corn, pork liver flavor, chicken liver flavor, and a lot of chemicals I don't know what they are, so I'm making my own diet food. What supplement in dog food would increase the metabolism of the dog? I'm checking the caloric value of everything I include and am aware of the nutrition she needs. I've spent some time on this and am down to a "metabolic" supplement, if there is such a thing. Hills sales gimmick???.......... Thanks
Jerry

[xteacher]

I had good luck getting my MIL's cockapoo to lose half her body weight feeding Wellness Core Reduced Fat. I fed less than the bag suggested, and substituted no-salt green beans as a fiber filler. Treats were a few baby carrots each day (not a lot of those, b/c they're high in natural sugar). Make sure you're using a measuring cup to ensure the absolute correct amount fed. I also feed 2x daily, dividing the daily allotment into two portions. This makes the dog happier (a psychological trick making the dog think he's getting more to eat!), and it tends to keep the metabolism running a little higher. Cut out all high-carb treats - no dog biscuits, etc. Ignore pitiful looks!!

Exercise is KEY however, in weight loss. Can you walk your dog either in the early a.m. or after dark when it's at least a little cooler? We have high temps in GA and FL too (July and August), and these walk times help keep the dogs from getting distressed. Start out slowly. My MIL's dog could barely walk around the block when I started her weight loss program, but eventually worked up to daily 3 mile walks and playing fetch (sometimes indoors if it was too hot outside). Bottom line: calories in - calories out.

Weight loss should be a gradually thing, just like with humans, to be done safely and with lasting results. It took 6-7 months for Rosie to lose the needed weight, going from 28.2 lb. down to between 14-15 lb. (vet's recommended weight for her).

If you can afford one, get a treadmill. Dogs can be trained to walk on one. Google the correct training method. It must be done very slowly, so as not to frighten the dog.

[Vulcan_Rider]

dturm wrote:
I'm not aware of a supplement that is made specifically for weight loss.

Given the report here, maybe the key to the "metabolic" food is that it is so un-appetizing that they just eat less.

Legitimate medical researchers have been trying to find a "weight loss supplement" for decades. So far nothing really works......but there are a lot of marketing claims to the contrary.

[dturm]

Jill likes the metabolic diet and it's worked for weight loss with her. We do mix some canned RD with it but she has pretty consistent appetite. I'm not aware of a supplement that is made specifically for weight loss.

[Vulcan_Rider]

Just like humans, it depends on total calories in and out.
How much and how often do you feed her ?
Ask the vet about cutting WAY back on the amount of a good food that she WILL eat.
Doing that is not abuse.