Overweight chihuahua with weak knees: How much exercise is safe?

Sticking with the current diet, or seeing if there is a weight loss diet from the same brand can help in calorie reduction. You can also speak with your vet about if a prescription weight loss diet is needed at this time. As with any increase in exercise, you will want to start gradually, especially if Angel has any health issues such as arthritis. Starting with a quick walk just around the block, and then gradually increasing over time (to two blocks, or ten minute walks, etc) can help build muscle and strength without overtaxing the body. As with any change in routine or diet, it is always a good idea to schedule a wellness check with your vet first. They can rule out any health issues that may cause problems that you need to watch out for, and can also work with you on tracking weight loss progress over time.

I would recommend doing moderate exercise (brisk walking, chasing ball, etc) for 30 minutes twice daily. I would also recommend a low fat food. The low fat prescription diets are the most effective, such as Hil'ls Metaboilc and Hill's W/D. It is also best to make sure your vet checks Grecia for any underlying metabolic disorder such as Thyroid disease, which can cause weight gain, letharyg and a dry dull haircoat. I hope this helps! Best wishes moving forward with Grecia and her weight loss. Take care!

They make good weight management foods either over the counter or prescription. A good prescription on is Hills metabolic. Her portions should be about 3/4 a cup a day to start... a little less if she gets treats. You can start slow with exercise with just making her go up and down the stairs an extra time or a short walk around the house until she gets better and gradually increase it

Ideally, you would be able to exercise him for 4-5 hours throughout the day, but this is not realistic for the average person. If Buddy has not been regularly exercised before now, then it's best to start with 30 minute daily walks and work your way up from there. If you are able to do the 30 minute a day routine for a month, then you can go up to an hour a day. This should be good enough for him (and you as well!). More intense exercise should only be done as directed by your veterinarian. If Buddy is obese, or has other conditions that could predispose him to injury, then it would not be good to start running and jumping exercises yet. When it comes to weight loss, the best intervention is diet. Ensure that you stick with the diet - avoiding treats and table scraps is a huge part of the diet. If he is not losing weight within the first month, then I would consider cutting the food back even more. I hope that helps and all goes well with Buddy.

Before cutting down on her food, I would try limiting her treats. They are loaded with fat and have relatively few nutrients. From this photo, it is apparent that she has a "waistline." which is good. If when you run your hands down her sides you can't feel her ribs, she is too heavy. (If you can see her ribs, she is too thin.) Calories are not the only factors in a dog's weight gain or loss. Remember fat, too! Spayed females may be less active and more prone to weight gain, but it doesn't have to be this way. How about throwing a ball or Frisbee for her to chase? Finding another dog for her to play with? Perhaps a dog park (well-supervised!)? Good luck with trimming Chloe down a bit!

1 common reason is selecting an adult food when your pet is technically a senior dog. Make sure Chaos is eating mature/senior version of the brand food you are buying. Also I would try to start feeding your pets in 2 separate bowls if not done so already, and taking a little extra effort to keep their food bowls separate until they get used to the transition. I would only put down about 1/3-1/2 cup food twice daily so maybe a hair less than what you are currently doing. Splitting up the food into 2 meals is ideal for weight loss and maintenance, instead of 1 large meal. Also the begging strips are likely a large source of the fat content. I would limit these to 2-3 times a week and perhaps only 1/2 of the beggin strip. Other less fattening treats are milk ones or dental chews (Virbac dental chews). I hope this helps and just try to actually walk Chaos around the block or neighborhood 2-3 times a week and I am confident you will see a reduction in his weight. Best wishes and take care!

I would recommend converting them to a specialist weight loss diet (many 'light' diets are designed to prevent weight gain and maintain a target weight rather than actually shed the excess). My preferred option is the hills metabolic range which provides guidelines for feeding to target weight (for dogs more than 30% overweight) and also on adjusting feed volumes if combining the wet and dry food