3rd February 2008

Abused Obese Dog On Target

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Rusty, the obese chocolate Labrador, who hit the headlines a year ago when his owners were found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering, has reached his target weight.

Rusty weighed 74.2kgs, more than twice his ideal weight, when he was removed from his owners in March 2006.

Between March 2006 and January 2007, Rusty lost 24.6kgs in RSPCA care. He was returned to his owners in January 2007 on condition that he did not put the weight back on and remained under the treatment of his veterinary surgeon, Alex Wylie of Eastgate Veterinary Group in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

In December 2007, Rusty finally reached his target weight of 40kgs after receiving a special Royal Canin diet.

Rusty had also been suffering from untreated arthritic conditions, which have eased since his weight loss, and he is receiving arthritis medication donated by Meriel Animal Health Limited.

Rusty's vet, Alex Wylie, said, "Rusty has made huge progress. We can now feel his ribs and he has a waistline at last. He is a much happier and healthier dog now, his pain is well-controlled and he walks much better than he could before. He can stand for long periods of time and doesn't tire as easily.

"Prior to his treatment and weight loss Rusty was the most disabled dog I have ever seen in practice. However, he now has a proper life again.

"I honestly think that without the help of the RSPCA, Meriel's donation and Royal Canin, Rusty would have been put to sleep by now."

Is your pet overweight?

If so, you're not alone. Half of Britain's dogs and cats are now overweight. Just a few extra pounds can cause all sorts of problems for dogs and cats such as straining of the joints, arthritis as in Rusty's case, as well as other illnesses like diabetes, liver disease and heart disease.

Tackling this problem can be difficult and it's hard to resist pets' pleas for treats, which is why the RSPCA joined forces with TV vet Joe Inglis to set up petsgetslim.co.uk to help you to help your pet lose weight.

The website enables you to create your own pet profile and share your pet weight loss experiences with other users, as well as find out about the latest diet and exercise tips and the chance of being Slimmer of the Week!

Give your pet a new lease of life and visit: www.petsgetslim.co.uk.

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