Recent scientific research indicates that at least a third of dogs and a quarter of cats are clinically overweight or obese.
To help combat obesity in pets, Vet’s Kitchen launched an appeal to find dogs and cats from across the nation to take part in its Biggest Loser Challenge. The three-week challenge saw pet owners feeding their pets calculated portions of Vet Kitchen’s Light Food, which is specially calculated for a steady and controlled weight loss.
Before embarking on the challenge, owners submitted measurements of their pet’s weight, waist and chest alongside photographs, before doing the same following completion of the three weeks.
Following a tough judging process, Vet’s Kitchen announced three year old Teddy as the winner of the dog category and Mrs Tiggy Winkle as the top weight loss cat. The results at the end of the three weeks revealed that all the pets who took part in the challenge successfully lost weight and inches.
All the pets that took part in the challenge lost a total of 41.6 inches from around their waste and chest and had a combined weight loss of 18.4kg.
Jenny Philip, managing director and practicing vet at Vet’s Kitchen, said: “Weight management is one of the most common issues seen as a daily basis and as experienced vets, we know that helping our patients to maintain a healthy weight is one of the most influential factors in keeping them healthier for longer.”
Vet’s Kitchen is the only pet food brand with an in-house vets practice and offers a range of high nutrition pet food, which are all hypoallergenic and free from wheat, beef, dairy and soya.
Lauren Whitmore, owner of Mrs Tiggy, said: “It was really important for us to help Tiggy lose weight as two knee operations last year saw her steadily put on more and more weight. Following the Biggest Loser Challenge, Tiggy’s weight has been really noticeable.”
