Meet Oscar! Isn’t he the perfect vision of a strong, proud and happy dog? Oscar has much to be proud and happy about – he has dropped a whopping 30 pounds since he first came to see us! When we met Oscar in October of 2008 he was over 91 pounds and had a significant limp. Oscar could no longer run and jump with the kids like he had so loved to do. He could not even walk without every step causing him severe pain. He had to have his activity severely restricted. His family was very worried that he would never be able to play again. Oscar underwent a very thorough physical examination. The possibility of taking x-rays was discussed to help diagnose his problem. He needed medication to help with his pain. Oscar’s extra pounds were most certainly a major factor to his lameness. He was put on a prescription weight reduction diet. Most importantly, Oscar’s loving family cared enough about him to take on the challenge of reducing his weight to a healthy level. Look at the results! Oscar is now an impressive 30 pounds lighter. He is back to running and jumping with the kids, his lameness has completely disappeared, he does not need additional expensive procedures, and his overall health is much better.

As Dr. Audra Nilssen says . . . “It’s all-around goodness”!

The prevalence of weight problems in dogs and cats is staggering – today nearly 35% of our pets are overweight.  Many of us give our pets too much to eat because we want them to be happy. However, by over feeding our pets we may be doing just the opposite by contributing to very serious health problems. If left untreated, overweight dogs and cats can experience life-threatening health issues from skeletal to circulatory to respiratory problems. Obesity significantly increases risk for:

                                                                   Diabetes                                                                     
Degenerative Joint Diseases
Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure
Breathing Difficulty
Shortened Life Expectancy 

As you can see, obesity is widespread and has serious implications for our pets’ health. You can schedule a weight control consultation with any of our doctors to evaluate your pet and develop a plan for them to reach and maintain their optimum weight.