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I need my 6 year old chihuahua to lose a little weight. I always gave Fromm kibble mixed with health extensions canned as a topper. I wanted something better for topper so went with Stella Chewy’s freeze dried. Within the last year she has gained weight. I’ve cut down the kibble and give her less then is advised on the freeze dried. I REALLY would like to not go back to canned. I only gave the chicken, Venison and Primal Turkey Sardines. But I can’t figure out now how some of these freeze dried are rated so high but be SO high in fat at the same time. Would it help if I slowly switched from Fromm which has above average fat to Stella Chewy’s raw coated kibble which is 5 star and lower end of fat? I would then cut down the patties to just one. Or is it impossible for small dogs to maintain a healthy weight on raw. I just would like to give myself a break and stop all my research and feel good about my girls diet.
Hi Patricia-
Weight loss is all about calories. The dog must burn off more calories than he/she is taking in in order to maintain a healthy weight or lose weight. 1 freeze-dried patty as a topper, plus an amount of kibble that you have not mentioned, for a Chihuahua sounds like a lot of food. Is she going for walks daily? Is she getting out in the yard with you and doing activities that allow for her to burn off energy?
A freeze-dried topper, though seemingly healthy, may not be appropriate for your dogs current lifestyle and could be causing more problems than not. My suggestion would be to go back to using canned food as a topper for her if she was a healthy weight when that was her diet. Also please cut out any treats she is getting and replace those with petting, attention, walks or another form of excerise. That is the best way to love our dogs.
To add to what pitlove said –
Is your furry friend experiencing problems? How are you aware that your pet is “overweight”? Advice given here on a forums website should be taken with a grain of salt. If you are seriously concerned with your pet then I would recommend a check-up with an experienced professional, such as your local veterinarian.
Speaking from experience – You could be doing everything right for your pet & still not see the results you want. Things are often deeper than what we can see from the outside.
I wish your pet the best.
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