Lupo shed a fifth of her body weight after attending a weight management clinic at Wilson Vets in Bishop Auckland, run by veterinary nurse Kathryn Burnell.
At first, Lupo waddled to the veterinary practice in Tenters Street with owner Steven Dawson, but after losing the pounds, the 12-year-old Labrador is once again enjoying her favourite game of fetch.
The pet had piled on weight by eating too many treats and large portions of food at mealtimes.
When Mr Dawson and his wife, Heather, took her to Wilson Vets in August 2023 to have her nails clipped, Ms Burnell kindly advised them their pet was overweight and offered to support them with Lupo’s battle of the bulge.
With careful changes to her diet, cutting down treats in her daily allowance and gradually increasing her exercise, Lupo has lost weight, is much more mobile and has more energy.
She has lost eight inches from her waist, eight inches from her chest, and five inches from her neck, resulting in her collar having to be tightened.
In total, she has lost 18.8 per cent of her body weight.
Ms Burnell said: “Lupo looks fantastic and her owners should be really proud at how they have helped their pet to lose weight.
“The key to reducing the weight of pets, especially older dogs like Lupo, is to do it incrementally so that they don’t lose weight too quickly or feel like they are being deprived.
“Lupo loves vegetables, so I suggested adding chopped carrots, broccoli florets and peas into her dinner because it bulks up the meal, encourages them to chew for longer but isn’t calorie intense.
“She can still enjoy treats but just not as many and, once she started losing weight, she was able to do more exercise.”
She added: “Owners can often be overly kind with their pets and don’t see the weight creeping on.
“When they see a dog that is a healthy weight, they often think it is too thin, so our clinics are about education and supporting owners.”
Lupo’s owners are overjoyed at their pet’s new lease of life and are urging other owners to take action if they are concerned about their pet’s weight.
Mr Dawson, a DJ-turned-web designer, said: “We can’t believe the difference in Lupo and she has really taken to her new regime as she loves a bit of veg to crunch through.
“We both enjoyed a brisk 20-minute walk to Wilson Vets and she is much more mobile than she used to be.
“I always value honesty over feeling embarrassed so I was very grateful when Kathryn said it was better for her welfare if she lost some weight.
“Working in collaboration with one of the practice nurses to get advice on her diet really helped and gradual weight loss really helped.
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“Lupo is a much-loved part of our home, and the weight just crept on with having too many of her favourite treats and being over-fed.
“It is so easy to get the calculations wrong with dog food.”
He added: “Lupo is an older dog but we can still see the benefits as she plays fetch for longer and can run for longer.
“She has always been a happy dog and she is doing really well for her age.”
