Helping Pets Lose Weight

The closer our pets are to their ideal weight, the longer they live. It’s that simple.

So how do I help clients who want their pets to live longer?

1. Prescribe ideal nutrition for each pet because each breed is genetically predisposed to do best with a particular diet. A whippet shouldn’t eat what a Labrador Retriever eats; a Chihuahua shouldn’t eat what the Golden Retriever or Maltese eat.

2. Move away from kibble and toward home-cooked or raw diets. Serve foods warmed to body temperature. Increase the darkly pigmented fruits & veggies.

3. Increase the enzymes in the food and decrease the amount fed. The pet will get more nutrient in each bite, but will not have excess that packs on pounds. I prescribe RxEzymes for pets that need help with enzymes.

4. Treat pain with herbal medication to increase mobility. Nothing is better than the right herbal formula to allow a pet increased mobility. Among the herbal medications we can use for pain are Supple Spine (Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang), Benefit Hips & Knees (Xiao Chai Hu Jia Qin Jiao Tang) and Four Marvels (Si Miao San).

5. Treat arthritis that prevents pets from walking and exercising with Adequan injections. Adequan lubricates the joints. Adequan is the kiss of Yin to dry, creaking cartilage. Adequan injections don’t sting and can be done with a tiny needle so that pets aren’t painfully poked. I want them running because they feel good not because they’re afraid of the needle. Adequan is done as a series, twice a week for 3 weeks, then once a week for 4 weeks, then as needed.

6. Use Acupuncture to boost metabolism. When we want fat to melt off, we stimulate energy to flow through the body and not get stuck in the middle. Among the acupuncture points we use for tubby pets are Stomach 40 and Stomach 36.

7. Use herbal formulas to treat stagnation in the gut and tendency to develop fatty tumors (lipomas). Among the herbal formulas I prescribe for obesity due to stagnation are Wei Ling Tang and San Ren Tang.

If your pet is over weight, ask for help. Weight loss is not only possible, it can be fun for our furred family members.