Get with the Program!
By Coleen Pride
At E.P.V.V.H., we offer two weight loss programs for your pet. Many pet owners may notice, especially in the winter months, that their pets tend to gain weight. This may be due to lack of exercise (snow, salt etc…), or too many calories. ‘Project Pet Slim-down’ and the ‘Slim Fit Program’ use tasty alternatives designed to help your pet achieve healthy weight loss goals combining Nutrition and Exercise through Veterinary Care.
The Royal Canin® Calorie Control and Purina Veterinary Diets® OM (Overweight Management) are two foods that we highly recommend for weight loss. Both foods are nutritionally complete and balanced for your pet, and also have restricted calories for successful weight loss without restricting the nutrient content essential to maintaining your pets’ health.
Both the ‘Slim Fit Program’ and ‘Project Pet Slim-Down’ start by calculating the daily feeding amount based on your pets caloric needs for weight loss. The programs calculations take into consideration your pets’ age, initial starting weight, body condition and gender or your pet as well as your pets diet preferences and allows you to choose from a variety of feeding options including both canned and dry diets. Once a preliminary weight is taken and the program begins. Based on your pets’ ideal body weight, we are then able to determine how long that process will take based on a healthy weight loss curve.
These weight loss programs allow us to take the ‘guess work’ out of creating your weight loss plan. Hands-on assessments at a bi-weekly or monthly weigh-in will help us tailor this program to your pets individual needs based on their progress in the program.
Our staff have completed many hours of continuing education courses to be become better and informed nutritional counsellors for you and your pet. Weight loss is an achievable goal for overweight pets and we are here to help you every step of the way while your pet becomes a weight-loss success!