The five-year-old dogo argentino male Baloo is one of six dogs that have signed up for the Biggest loser competition that a veterinary clinic in Borås started in collaboration with a feed manufacturer.
– He is a bit rounder than he should be. He has some problems with his joints so he has been receiving medicine for it for a while, says Baloo’s mother Nana Sund.
The goal of the competition is for the four-legged participants to have reached their ideal weight by the end of the year.
– It is very easy to knit them. When they are sitting at the dining table that they get a small piece or that the plate is licked or that the leftovers fall into the food bowl. And so you don’t think about adjusting the other food you give, says Jonna Petersson, veterinarian and clinic manager.
Dangers of obesity in dogs
At least 30 percent of the country’s dogs are overweight, according to a new study conducted at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU.
Although the round pets may become more huggable, obesity can lead to complications and sequelae in the long run. As in the case of five-year-old Baloo.
– The dangers for our dogs are partly that it affects joints and ligaments. The risks of atherosclerotic formations become greater. It also affects the respiratory tract and the risk of diabetes. Just like us humans, says the vet.
Baloo’s math: “He’s getting better”
According to Baloo’s math, the dog’s participation in the competition seems to have done well so far.
– We already notice that he is getting better when he goes outside and runs and so on, says Nana Sund.
The dog with mate or master who wins the competition looms over half a year’s consumption of paid feed. Regardless of how the competition goes for Baloo, his math underlines their goal image.
– Only he gets better, she says.