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Diet for my very very muscley dog

7K views 30 replies 11 participants last post by  FailedSlacker 
#1 ·
Ronnie is a 3 year old rescue english bull terrier, we've had him for 9 months now a few ups and downs but we're getting there, what would really make his life so much easier is if he could lose some of his muscle mass.

The previous owner used to hang him from a toy on a tree to build his muscle up (dont ask) when we got him he struggled to breath and couldn't walk up a set of stairs. He's also had a break in one of his wrists which didn't set correctly since he didn't see a vet with his previous owner so it's even more of a struggle than it should be for him :(. But hes on herbal tablets for it now. He can't walk too far with his foot and has to be on grass.
Just weighed him now and he's 8 stone (51kg) which is the same weight as when we first got him.

I would like to know how we combat his huge muscle bulk around his neck and chest area, we asked the vet when we first got him and they said it would take time to waste away but is there a way through dieting that we could help him. Hes very food motivated, he eats some cereal of a morning with lactose free milk otherwise hes sick everywhere:eek: and 800g of raw or cooked meat per day, I've only just read that protein helps feed the muscles, could anyone suggest a diet plan that we could put him on to help him?
 
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#2 ·
You should really consult a veterinary nutritionist about this since you could do more harm than good messing with the diet to achieve what you're looking to do.

Diplomate Directory American College of Veterinary Nutrition

Has he been vet checked to make sure there is nothing else going on with him? I know some very well-muscled dogs like that who do not have issues with their muscling... you may want to make sure he's structurally normal (besides for muscling) before you mess with a diet.
 
#3 ·
I really want to see a picture of this dog! 51 kg?! That is 112 pounds in "American" weight.

Yeah, I don't know what to say about how to reduce muscle mass. I suppose a lazy lifestyle might do a bit for that, but really, there is probably a ton of genetics here that you are going to have trouble combating.
 
#5 · (Edited)
We asked the vet if hes overweight but we are just bothered how he is out of breath after a short distance of walking say 50 metres and when he goes up the stairs he has to stop half way as hes out of breath doing this also.

heres the pics


With this one, when he lays like this his feet can't touch the floor due to the muscle mass.














P.S. Thanks for looking theres lots of pics:)
 
#10 ·
I have to agree, that dog is obese. The side and top pictures are what really drives it home for me. There is no definition whatsoever. Let me go find a side view of a bull terrier for you to compare to.

Add to the fact that he can't walk without being out of breath, he needs short, slow walks to start the weight-loss without stressing his heart.

His weight will also compound the wrist injury. I think a nutritionist is definitely in order.
 
#12 ·
Wow. If your vet claims that is muscle, you need to find a new vet. Your dog is obese. Cute, but dangerously overweight. Get him on a diet and take him on some walks.
 
#14 ·
I agree with the rest. Your dog is OBESE!
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#15 ·
I just read he gets cereal with milk PLUS 800grams of raw meat! 800 grams is 28 ounces, a normal serving of steak is 6-8oz. 28 fluid ounces is 3 1/2 cups. My American Pit Bull Terrier gets 2 to 2 1/2 cups a day of dry dog kibble.

Is your dog getting veggies with his meat?
 
#20 · (Edited)
WOW! When I initially read the post I thought sounds like obesity not muscle. Hard to breath, can't walk, this is criminal.

I have muscular dogs, also dogs which use springpole too.

A fit dog can do a lot of physical activity. A fat dog can't. It's diet time.

It isn't just going to waste away.



I couldn't believe that either. Why would you give a dog cereal, this isn't a child. Feed him proper.

I'm not sure how you can compare raw to kibble. Most people measure not weigh kibble. A cup of kibble could be 4oz or 6oz depending on brand. Though that's roughly the average amount of kibble fed.

Raw should be fed as 2-3% of body weight dependent on metabolism, activity level and other factors. My CO of the same weight 28-32oz (or less by choice) but is supposed to be that big and that's actually less than other breeds of comparable size I know eat. My APBT ate 22oz @ 53lbs (lean and muscular). This dog is way overfed for ideal body weight and activity level.

I hope they are not doing veggies but at least they are not calorie / fat additions.
 
#17 ·
Yes, the dog is fat and needs to be on a different diet.

Keep in mind you cannot really compare ounces of meet with cups of kibble, as the meat has so much moisture in it. That said, 28 ounces of raw meat a day is too much for a dog that size and activity level. The other thing is that if you are feeding only raw meat and nothing with significant calcium (ie easily digested bone) you are really messing up the dog's Calcium / Phosphorus ratio.

Yes, good advice to change to a well balanced kibble, or seek the help of a nutritionist if you have a particular interest in going the raw route.
 
#18 ·
On the other hand, when I was feeding totally raw, our 48 pound dog (22 kg) was eating 28 to 32 ounces of food a day. (I just looked up my records... used to write down every day what he ate)

Now that was a well balanced mix of raw meaty bones, organ meats, and a teeny bit of ground veggies.

BUT, he was also running 5 to 10 miles a day, every day, so that is an entirely different metabolic rate going on.

He was very lean and fit on that diet. He did not get any "cereal" of any sort.

To the OP, you might ask your vet to run some blood tests to make sure your dog's only health problem is obesity. The difficulty breathing concerns me, and the total lack of endurance. Yes, that could all be related to overweight, but these are all symptoms of Low Thyroid as well. Ask for a thyroid test, in addition to basic blood work. That's what I would do, anyway, for what its worth!
 
#19 ·
Sorry but your dog is beoynd obeese, not muscley. Id find a new vet asap. as yours clearly has no idea what he is talking about. there is NO muscle definition at all on that dog. he has a hard time walking due to being obeese.


a typical male BT should weight around 50-85lbs depending on what size you have mini or standard. yours weights in at 112lbs. ATLEAST 30lbs over weight, probably more. Im honestly surprised he has not had a heart attack yet at his size. For a human thats like being 150-200lbs over weight.

Id stop feeding him so much, set a goal weight, and feed for that weight bracket. Id start adding lots of green beans as a filler, its nearly no calories, but fills a dog right up.

Id also work on getting those nails shorter. he will already have joint issues. and walking on his nails will also cause joint issues.
 
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