My 14-year-old mini schnauzer is overweight. What diet food works?

He does indeed look overweight, my preferred range is hills metabolic as this promotes healthy weight loss whilst also preserving muscle mass and strength and is formulated to allow them to eat a reasonable volume of food so they do not feel hungry. Your vet tech can help you work out the correct amount to feed him and monitor closely for the first 6-8weeks, if he does not start to lose weight then blood tests to rule out hormonal conditions such as cushings, diabetes or thyroid disease may also be recommended

Oh yes. I would highly recommend Hlil's Metaboilc diet because it causes weight loss and can help with weight management. This is a highly successful diet that causes weight loss in over 79% of pets within the first 2 months. Royal Canin low calorie, Hill's R/D are two other options for weight loss. THese are all Rx diets and require a vet visit to get your pet started on the weight loss plan in mind. Also if your pet has any overt signs of hypothyroidism, then checking for a metabolic disease like this is recommended; however this is not common in small breed dogs like the Parson Russell Terrier. And of course it goes without saying that daily regular exercise for 30 minutes is recommended to encourage metaboilc break down of stored fats in the body.

In addition to exercise (walks) you can reduce his present food by one third and add bran as bulkfiber, so he does not feel hungry. You can also feed a low calorie weight reduction food available from your vet such as Hill's Prescription Diet r/d, or Royal Canin Satiety Support and Calorie Control (also available by prescription only), Your vet may also recommend other weight reduction foods tailored to your dog's health and his recommendation of monthly weight loss.

Many pets like Brees suffer from being overweight. If you are looking for an over the counter product, try Royal Canin or Hill Science Diet (both brand carry 'light' diets). In my opinion, the prescription food made by Royal Canin called Satiety Support is a great option because the portions are large (which most dogs like) but they still lose weight. The other things that could be contributing to his weight problem could be a condition called Hypothyroidism. This commonly makes dogs heavy and have problems losing weight. A doctor can determine Brees' thyroid status with a simple blood test. Medication is needed to regain normal metabolism.

Specialist weight loss diets are the most effective way to manage weight issues as they are designed to provide all nutrients required, promote fat loss and maintain muscle mass whilst also allowing the dog to feel full. Reducing weight on standard foods is very difficult and requires feeding of approximately two thirds of the recommended amount, based on target weight which can leave patients hungry

Discontinue feeding any table food and limit treats. Feed a good quality maintenance diet or discuss weight loss diets, such as Hill's r/d, with your veterinarian. Increasing exercise and activity will also promote weight loss. Since Sophie is an older dog, have her thyroid function checked as this could cause weight gain.

You can try science diet senior light formula with small bites as an option or try one of their prescription formulas such as metabolic. Purina also makes a prescription type called OM and has severe reduced calorie over the counter options. You will need to really regulate the amount of food she receives in a day more than anything. You can switch her potty treat to Cheerios--they are small and have few calories to add up. For a 10# dog to lose weight, you are looking at feeding her a little less than 1/2 cup of food a day total. It is not much, so you want to really measure it with a measuring cup. You can try to increase her activity level and play with her and add in walks to also help burn calories