Overweight Burton Latimer dog sheds 4kg

A dog from Burton Latimer who struggled to shift extra pounds has lost 4kg.
Murdock the dog before he lost weight.Murdock the dog before he lost weight.
Murdock the dog before he lost weight.

Murdock, a nine-year-old Lhasa Apso, had been on various diets since being rehomed four years ago, but he just couldn’t lose the extra weight.

In April 2016 his owners, Phil and Jan Corbin, took him to Vets4Pets in Kettering as Murdock had injured his back.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

When veterinary nurse Nicole Bradley examined him, she suggested a different diet for Murdock and a regular weigh-in clinic to make sure he reached his target weight.

Jan said: “Murdock was overweight when we adopted him, and as he wasn’t a very active dog, it was difficult to find the right diet to help him shift the extra pounds.

“He’d obviously been well looked after by his previous owners, but had probably not been given much exercise, hence his ‘relaxed’ attitude to life.

“When we met Nicole she planned his weight loss over many months, to ensure he didn’t lose weight too quickly, but kept on a gradual path to his ideal healthy weight.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We weighed all his meals and over time slowly reduced the amount he was given. He started to lose weight in the first few weeks, which is when we knew this diet plan was working.

“To help, we tried to encourage him to exercise a little bit more, which also helped.

“While it’s taken time to lose the nearly 4kg, it’s made such a dramatic difference to Murdock.

“Murdock is now a much happier dog and being lighter has brought out his playful side, something we’ve not really seen since we brought him into our home.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The biggest change is in his reaction to being outside, as he is now running around regularly – indeed he seems to have much more energy than before.

“It’s not been an easy time getting the weight off, but the help from Nicole and the vet practice has been a massive help, and the results are very much worth it.

“Murdock is now a happy and healthy dog, which is something we’re very proud of.”

Dr Huw Stacey, director of clinical services at Vets4Pets, says pet obesity is a growing problem.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “Obesity is currently one of the most serious health and welfare issues affecting pets in the UK, which may be surprising to some owners.

“It can often be hard for owners to recognise if their pet has become an unhealthy weight, because weight gain can be very gradual.

“With millions of pets currently over their ideal weight, being obese or overweight is now almost considered as the norm, or even cuddly or cute.

“And, as with humans, weight gain in pets, more often than not, is because of too much food and not enough exercise.”

Related topics: