Need help finding a healthy, weight control food

I just got a scale that I had ordered in the mail today. I like to keep track of Trudy's weight. She is 13 pounds and that is what I want her to be. You might get a baby scale. You can just cut down a bit on food, not much, and add green beans, carrots in small pieces. Also, go for walks. That is what I have always done with doggies. It usually does not take a big change. You want to have them lose it slowly too. Not be hungry.  

I don't really believe in weight control formulas because in order to feed the same amount you are feeding fillers that aren't very good for your dog. I'd just reduce the food a little bit, maybe add some green beans, and increase the exercise a little bit.
 
Good luck finding the right solution. I think that's one of the challenges of small dog owners.

If you want to feed TO, pick the lowest fat formula they make, and then send me your dogs ideal weight and the calories per cup. I'll calculate out your daily feeding schedule for you.

Its REALLY easy to overfeed little dogs, especially on the denser premium foods.

Will your dog eat canned food? It might be easier to control portions and help your dog feel full if you switch to a canned formula during the diet. And as I'm sure you know, excercise CANNOT be stressed enough during any diet program.

I do think that Blue has a weight control formula, BUT, I agree with just feeding less.  For the most part, WC foods are extra fillers that they don't need and can't use.

Purina Fit & Trim? Oy. [8|]
The vet told me at Murphy's last check up in March that he needed to lose a few pounds. I didn't want to go down the 'weight control' formula road so I just reduced the amount of what I've been feeding him all along. He's a beagle mix who is neutered and is on PB for seizures so he's really prone to gaining weight. It's taken a few weeks but I can see that he's lost some weight. I must have been overfeeding him because I noticed since I cut back on his food that his poops are firmer. 

ORIGINAL: WestieGirl


I've been feeding TWO for several months and the vet said the problem is undoubtedly that I'm feeding a super premium food which equates to high fat and that I need to switch him to Purina Fit & Trim[:'(] - no doubt about it.  That's a great, high quality, healthy food that he can be on for the rest of his life, he said.   So, I just said ok and thought to myself "yeah, right".

 
I agree with feeding less and exercising more in lieu of a weight control food.  Also, cutting back on treats or using veggies as treats can really make a difference depending on how much in the way of treats you normally feed. And the exercise will help in burning off those calories that are currently just adding weight onto your dog.
 
I also recommend finding another vet if possible.  I know that most vets are pretty uneducated as far as nutrition is concerned, but to recommend Purina Fit & Trim as high quality and healthy?  Now that's a new one!

ORIGINAL: Misskiwi67

If you want to feed TO, pick the lowest fat formula they make, and then send me your dogs ideal weight and the calories per cup. I'll calculate out your daily feeding schedule for you.

Its REALLY easy to overfeed little dogs, especially on the denser premium foods.

Will your dog eat canned food? It might be easier to control portions and help your dog feel full if you switch to a canned formula during the diet. And as I'm sure you know, excercise CANNOT be stressed enough during any diet program.

Most quality canned foods are low in grains / carbs, which will help with weight management.  Plus canned foods are less dense than dry foods, so you can feed more of it for less calories.  Kind-of like what your vet recommended, except you will not be filling your dog up with fillers, as your vet suggested. 

Royal Canin and Natura's philosophy behind weight management is to increase the ratio between protien and fat.   So, the bigger the difference between protien and fat, the more likely the dog will loose weight.

I did some quick research on canned dog foods.  The foods that have the biggest ratio between protien and fat and have lower calories are certain varieties of Merrick (Harvest Moon, Wingaling, Smothered Comfort, Rocky Mountain Rainbow).  These varieties of Merrick have a protien fat ratio of 8% protien / 3.5% fat or 9% protien / 4% fat and about 24 calories per ounce.  By Nature Cans are also good with 8% protien / 5% fat and 20 calories per ounce - less calories because it is grainfree.

Here's Merrick's Site
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/detail.php?c=15&s=21681
Here's By Nature's Site http://www.bynaturepetfoods.com/productpages/organiccanneddog.php

I took a look at Eagle Pack, Innova, Evo, Solid Gold, and Wellness.  All of these canned foods have smaller ratios between protien and fat, meaning the protien and the fat is closer together, and more calories per ounce, about 34 calories per ounce.

I'm sure there are more out there to check, but these are the healthy foods I looked at.

ORIGINAL: jenns

I also recommend finding another vet if possible.  I know that most vets are pretty uneducated as far as nutrition is concerned, but to recommend Purina Fit & Trim as high quality and healthy?  Now that's a new one!

My veterinary nutrition course (taught by a nationally known veterinary nutritionist who flew out here for a 2 week course) touted Fit & Trim as the best option for a non-prescription diet. Ingredient lists aren't everything!!!

Whens the last time you saw a human diet plan that was tasteful and healthy that worked? A couple of my friends are losing weight (60 lbs) on shake type diets and heavy excercise, and I don't know if I could eat that either! For seriously obese dogs, or owners with only a mild committment to losing weight, Fit & Trim is definately the way to go.

ORIGINAL: Misskiwi67

My veterinary nutrition course (taught by a nationally known veterinary nutritionist who flew out here for a 2 week course) touted Fit & Trim as the best option for a non-prescription diet. Ingredient lists aren't everything!!!

Whens the last time you saw a human diet plan that was tasteful and healthy that worked? A couple of my friends are losing weight (60 lbs) on shake type diets and heavy excercise, and I don't know if I could eat that either! For seriously obese dogs, or owners with only a mild committment to losing weight, Fit & Trim is definately the way to go.

 
Sure, it's easier to lose weight on Slim Fast but the minute you go off it, you put the weight back on!  The only way to lose weight and keep it off to to adopt a healthier diet and excercise lifestyle.  Why would it not be the same for dogs?
 
Also, these are the ingredients for Fit and Trim:
 
Ground yellow corn, ground whole wheat, soybean meal, corn germ meal, soybean hulls*, corn gluten meal, turkey by-product meal, chicken by-product meal, meat and bone meal, animal digest, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), calcium carbonate, salt, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2), zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, choline chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, brewers dried yeast, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, copper proteinate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.
 
I can try to be open minded about a lot of foods that wouldn't be my first choice to feed, but I'm not willing to go this far. I'm sure a human eating nothing but slim fast for every meal would lose weight and keep it off, but it's not healthy!

ORIGINAL: Misskiwi67

ORIGINAL: jenns

I also recommend finding another vet if possible.  I know that most vets are pretty uneducated as far as nutrition is concerned, but to recommend Purina Fit & Trim as high quality and healthy?  Now that's a new one!

My veterinary nutrition course (taught by a nationally known veterinary nutritionist who flew out here for a 2 week course) touted Fit & Trim as the best option for a non-prescription diet. Ingredient lists aren't everything!!!

Whens the last time you saw a human diet plan that was tasteful and healthy that worked? A couple of my friends are losing weight (60 lbs) on shake type diets and heavy excercise, and I don't know if I could eat that either! For seriously obese dogs, or owners with only a mild committment to losing weight, Fit & Trim is definately the way to go.

Did they compare any diets other than what you can buy at the grocery store?   I understand that some vets recommend food like Purina and Iams, becuase they assume that most pet owners will not take the time to buy a good food at a pet specialty store.  Which, honestly, is good thinking.  It's better they feed Purina Dog Chow, than Old Roy, or Special Puppy.

Why do they make prescription weight loss diets then?   

But then why does Purina make other weight management formulas, like Pro Plan wieght management, and Purina ONE weight management, both of which have more meat and more impressive ingredients lists?  If Purina Fit N' Trim is the best weight management food out their, than why did Purina bother with Purina ONE, and Pro Plan? 

How old was the study you read?  Not long ago, Purina Fit and Trim was the only weight management dog food out there.

Sure, Purina Fit and Trim makes the dog loose weight, but what does it do to the coat and life span of the dog?

Would you feed Purina Fit and Trim if your dog was overwieght?

Honestly, I think Royal Canin Labrador is the best weight management formula out there.  Due to the great results I've seen with people who fed it at the PSP I used to work at.  Not only did the dog loose weight, but gained muscle mass.   But people are afraid to feed Royal Canin due to the recent recalls, although Sensible Choice and prescription diets are made at different plants. 

ORIGINAL: Misskiwi67

My veterinary nutrition course (taught by a nationally known veterinary nutritionist who flew out here for a 2 week course) touted Fit & Trim as the best option for a non-prescription diet. Ingredient lists aren't everything!!!

Whens the last time you saw a human diet plan that was tasteful and healthy that worked? A couple of my friends are losing weight (60 lbs) on shake type diets and heavy excercise, and I don't know if I could eat that either! For seriously obese dogs, or owners with only a mild committment to losing weight, Fit & Trim is definately the way to go.

Ground yellow corn, ground whole wheat, soybean meal, corn germ meal, soybean hulls*, corn gluten meal, turkey by-product meal, chicken by-product meal, meat and bone meal, animal digest, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), calcium carbonate, salt, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2), zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, choline chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, brewers dried yeast, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, copper proteinate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.

Are you kidding? I'm supposed to believe that the food above is actually healthy?? Ingredient lists DO matter; it's what the food is made of- why wouldn't it matter? Feeding a dog an almost entirely grain diet that goes straight through them is not healthy. Not to mention the added colors and menadione... [&o]

One thing I've found helpful is to measure out a day's worth of food at one time and put it in a separate container.  I have a tendency to not worry if there are just a few extra kibbles in the measuring cup.  But if you give just a few extra kibbles twice a day, that can really add up over time.

ORIGINAL: jojo the pogo

Why do they make prescription weight loss diets then?   

But then why does Purina make other weight management formulas, like Pro Plan wieght management, and Purina ONE weight management, both of which have more meat and more impressive ingredients lists?  If Purina Fit N' Trim is the best weight management food out their, than why did Purina bother with Purina ONE, and Pro Plan?

An ideal weight loss diet contains the following things:

-12-15% fiber of an insoluble and soluble mix. This slows the absorption of nutrients and slows the glucose spike
-Maintenance levels of protein, preferably 25% to maintain lean muscle mass
-LOW fat, less than 10-12%
-Added L-carnitine, at 300 ppm for dogs

Now lets look at those diets you listed.

Purina Fit & Trim:
Guaranteed Analysis Crude Protein (Min) 25.0% Crude Fat (Min)6.0% Crude Fat (Max)8.0% Crude Fiber (Max)12.0% Moisture (Max) 12.0% Vitamin A (Min)10,000 IU/kg

Calorie Content Metabolizable Energy (ME)
320 kcal/cup

Purina Pro Plan:
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:Crude Protein (Min) 25.0%
Crude Fat (Min) 8.0%
Crude Fat (Max) 12.0%
Crude Fiber (Max) 5.5%
Moisture (Max) 12.0%

Digestable Energy
368 kcal/cup

Both diets are perfectly acceptable. Purina is big on the weight loss diets these days, and produce the best weight loss diets available. Their 14 year study that showed dogs of a healthy weight live 2 years longer is an exceptional testament to the value of keeping dogs at a healthy weight. Obesity and its related health issues will kill animals FAR FASTER than eating a diet of corn.

ORIGINAL: jojo the pogo
Sure, Purina Fit and Trim makes the dog loose weight, but what does it do to the coat and life span of the dog?

Again, Obesity and its related health problems has been proven (in Purina's 14 year lifetime study, the ONLY lifetime study ever done on dogs) to cause significant decrease in the lifespan of dogs. Obesity is far more important to control than so-called poor ingredients.

ORIGINAL: jojo the pogo
Would you feed Purina Fit and Trim if your dog was overwieght?

My dogs will never be overweight... I control their portions carefully and they get quite a bit of excercise daily. My cats however, ARE overweight, and eat w/d prescription food, a low calorie high fiber prescription food that works well for them. It would work better if they got some excercise...

Would I feed it to a dog that wasn't overweight... absolutely not. As always, its a risk/benefit and owner compliance issue that needs to be determined individually in each case.

ORIGINAL: jojo the pogo
Honestly, I think Royal Canin Labrador is the best weight management formula out there.

Royal Canin Labrador is not formulated for weight loss, but any diet fed in proper proportions can facilitate weight loss... with only 281 calories per cup, it would be easy to control portions in this food. If you look, it actually has fewer calories per cup than Purina Fit & Trim... I wonder how much those dogs poop? Isn't that the #1 test of dog food quality? [:'(]

Royal Canin Labrador:
Guaranteed Analysis Crude Protein Minimum 30.0% Crude Fat Minimum 13.0% Crude Fiber Maximum 5.7% Moisture Maximum 10.0% Vitamin E Minimum 600 mg/kg Vitamin C Minimum 300 mg/kg L-Carnitine Minimum 200 mg/kg

ORIGINAL: Luvntzus
Are you kidding? I'm supposed to believe that the food above is actually healthy?? Ingredient lists DO matter; it's what the food is made of- why wouldn't it matter? Feeding a dog an almost entirely grain diet that goes straight through them is not healthy. Not to mention the added colors and menadione... [&o]

I would personally never recommend this food to a dog like Tucker, who is only moderately obese and needing to lose 20% of his body weight. However, I would practically insist on it for dogs like the one I mentioned earlier this week, the 140 lb rottweiler with siezures. That dog needed to lose nearly 40% of its body weight, and that wasn't going to happen without some serious dieting...

There are a surprising number or morbidly obese pets in the world, and for those dogs, the importance of ingredients (incredibly important for most dogs) pales in comparison to the need to lose weight, and therefore is a non-issue. If purina pro plan weight control would increase their fiber level to 12%, then I would recommend that food instead, but until then, purina fit & trim is the morbidly obese dogs diet of choice based on the parameters scientifically proven to increase weight loss and listed in the previous post.