Hello. Nigredo has been fat all his life. Ever since he was about a year old. His first vet visit at just over a year was 71 lbs. The next annual last year was 89 lbs. This year was 100 lbs. Fatter each year. Diets and extra exercise has not helped him. I've tried multiple diets and whatnot the vet put him on and I've gotten him to run a lot more and it hasn't helped. He's currently on another diet and a more gentle exercise regimen and I doubt it helps. He has HD so being fat isn't good for him at all, but as it stands... There's nothing that has helped him. I'm not looking for advice as I've been filled with it from multiple sources and I'm fully aware that he's fat. He doesn't move WELL but the vet was happy with his flexibility and he runs and jumps with no problems.
Poor Nigredo, it is so hard to diet. My two are not elderly for their breed - rising 7 and rising 8 - but they have both been neutered. They get an hour's trail walking each day, plus their training sessions, (Hmm, yes, with treats). Ed seems to carry his extra weight around his ribs and forechest, whereas Merry is more inclined to 'love handles' just in front of her hips. I have now switched them both onto a grain free senior food, to which I add a little stewed veg and a garnish of low fat meat. Whether this will work remains to be seen. Beagles are always hungry, and Mum has a soft heart.
He's okay. I feed him small amounts and he goes to play each day for as long as he wants plus some. He's a happy man and nothing has helped so I'm not going to stress over it.
@CaroleC Nigredo has the chunky ribs, chest blob, AND the love handles! He also has a pouch of CHUNK under his tummy. He doesn't have the blob of fat before his tail that the truly overweight Labrador mutts often get yet, so we're just going to hang in. Nigredo was neutered and 100% healed with all the hair grown back when I adopted him at 15 weeks. Not good! Who knows how early they did it? It has caused him nothing but problems and the vet suspects its why he's seemingly irreparably fat. Neutering that early is truly unethical.
I quite agree, that is far too young. Ed wasn't 'done' till he was about 15 months, but without a good reason, I don't think I would have another male neutered. My last few dogs have been rescues or rehomed, and neutering usually forms part of the contract.
I thought that six months was too early for Tikva - would have preferred to have waited three months after her first season as both Little One and Pereg were, but as she is in an unfenced front yard on a long tether and with loose and dumped dogs wandering about, both Michal and Ram thought it better to spay her at six months, before she came into season. I had no problem with LO but then I was living at the far end of the Moshav there were rarely any dogs around, but I had moved here when I adopted Pereg and I had to keep watch on her all the time she was outside - believe me her season was a nightmare and it was a nightmare watching her while she was out. For Nigredo to have been neutered at such a young age though I think was so wrong - he was only a baby.
Yes, it definitely wasn't a good idea and is certainly the cause of some of his problems. It will only serve to make him hang onto weight and exacerbate his HD. I won't be adopting another dog from that shelter. I knew it was too early when I got him. They claimed that he came from a shelter in Louisiana already like that (he'd reportedly been with their shelter for two weeks). I don't believe them. I believe they neutered him and were jiust trying to juke the unethical practice of juvenile neutering. On his exam sheet from when they first got him - his testicle exam was listed as "Not found".
Myra, I saw this article about Labradors and [possibly] the reason so many are overweight or likely to be. I thought of Nigredo when I read it although I know that you have never over-fed him or given him too many treats. I have quoted from a side note of the article, but the whole article is worth a read. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...vers-gene-makes-beg-food-obsessed-treats.html
