WHY IS HEALTHY WEIGHT SO IMPORTANT?
A UK national survey reported that 82% of dog owners described their dog as the “ideal weight”; however, clinical studies have identified that up to 65% of dogs have obesity or are overweight and that the prevalence has been steadily increasing (PDSA, 2022).
This trend is a widespread health concern as obesity is the most common nutritional disorder observed in dogs in developed nations (Robertson, 2003; Sandoe et al., 2014).
Dogs are considered overweight when they weigh 10-30% above their ideal bodyweight. Obesity is diagnosed when their weight exceeds 30% of their ideal bodyweight. Excess weight can adversely affect health and welfare by increasing the risk of diseases, causing functional impairment, shortening life spans, and reducing overall quality of life (Ludd et al., 2006).
There are many Diseases and health issues associated with excess weight and obesity in dogs that include osteoarthritis and orthopaedic disorders, diabetes mellitus, cardiac dysfunction and cardiovascular disease, dyspnoea, urinary and reproductive disorders, reduced life expectancy, increased risk under general anaesthetic, decreased heat tolerance, dermatological problems, and difficulty grooming (German, 2006).
Behavioural changes are often observed as overweight dogs are likely to become disinclined to play, incapable of undertaking frequent, vigorous exercise, spend increased time resting and require help jumping or climbing (Bland et al., 2009). This highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy weight to maximise long-term health and well-being.
The Peptide+ Weight Control & Joint Care recipe has been formulated to have a high protein content to support lean muscle mass and a low fat content to limit fat intake and deposition. Additionally, the recipe contains a unique blend of fibre: Pea Fibre, Beet Pulp
and Lignocellulose.
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Muddy Paws Peptide+ Weight Control & Joint Care 10kg
Muddy Paws Peptide+ Weight Control & Joint Care 1.5kg
Coupled with high protein, high inclusion of dietary fibre has been shown to be more effective at reducing voluntary food intake which suggests increased satiety. This is important as maximising satiety is a critical factor for any weight management diet. As a result, such diets lead to improved outcomes of weight loss in overweight dogs and
dogs with obesity (German et al., 2010).
L-carnitine supplementation has been shown to promote weight and fat loss in overweight dogs. The inclusion of L-carnitine in diets fed to dogs firstly enhances energy
conversion by increasing fatty acid oxidation, which helps to reduce body fat stores (Sunvold et al., 1998). L-carnitine may prevent the loss of lean muscle mass during
increased activity and weight reduction, which is important for the long-term maintenance of optimum body condition and weight (Varney et al., 2017)
WHAT ARE THE RESULTS?
As part of the development of the Peptide+ Weight Control & Joint Care recipe, a feeding study was conducted to evaluate the benefits of this dry dog food on overweight dogs, as well as the palatability of this dog food.
29 Dogs were initially weighed and their Body Condition Score (BSC) assessed. Over 12 weeks, the dogs were fed Peptide+ Weight Control & Joint Care, weighed, and their BCS assessed periodically.
The results show 90% of dogs moved onto a healthier weight whilst being fed a Peptide+
Weight Control & Joint Care diet.