Round hound loses pounds

Posted : 31-01-2008

A dog that once collapsed under his own weight has lost 9.5 kg after his owners placed him on a strict diet and exercise regime.

Oscar the Labrador has been named pet slimmer of the year in the UK-wide Pet Fit Club competition.

At his heaviest he weighed 47.7 kg but thanks to a 100-day slimming contest, which involved eating dried food rather than sausages and pasta, he soon shed the pounds.

Owner Louise Critcher told the BBC: "We were always under the impression that Labradors were big dogs and we didn't think we were doing anything wrong by giving him treats.

"We used to feed him everything and anything. But then he collapsed and we thought he might have had a stroke. It turned out he had arthritis."

Oscar also looks much healthier following his weight loss, according to his owners, who said they were "proud" of his achievement.

According to Sainsbury's, around three-quarters of cats and dogs are not covered by pet insurance despite the fact that a fifth of pet-owning costs are spent on veterinary fees.


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