So your spayed or neutered dog has become a wide body!
So it goes, as with us as it does with dogs, the older you get things change. Love handles. A spare tire you didn't want. Slowing down a bit. While this is normal to slow down a bit as we age, including our canine friends, it's not good. Since dogs live shorter life spans than people do, it's vitally important to be pro-active with their health as the are young but is especially vital as the years are creeping up.
One of the things that tend to happen when dogs are spayed or neutered is that tend to loose their waistline. It is always a good thing to see a waist when you look over the top of Fido. Not exagerated, not to the point of being too thin, but their waist area should definitely not be as wide as their chest and rib area. No matter what the breed, what the size or the age, it is healthy to see a waistline on your pooch.
It's important at any age to keep your dog(s) active as they grow older. They may not chase tennis balls, but general activity is good for them. Whether it's going on a walk, running in the yard or swimming when it's warm out are all good activities for your doggie. Watching and monitoring how much food they get is also extremely important. We can not stress enough that just because the bag tells you to feed a certain amount, does not mean that amount is what your particular dog needs. Learn to judge for your self what a good weight is and if food intake needs to be adjusted, do so on a daily basis.
We have had dogs and also have had people tell us that their dog is getting next to nothing, like only a cup or maybe even less for a full sized Golden, yet the dog is still too heavy. One food in particular we have found to be great for helping to keep dogs slim is Blue Buffalo Grain Free food. Blue Buffalo has high quality ingedients and the convienent thing is, you can get it at any Petsmart, Petco or large pet store retailer. If your store doesn't carry this particular variety, ask them if they can order it for you.
If your pet is still having issues with weight and you are feeding it properly, getting exercise, and doing all the right things, it may be time to run to your vet for a quick blood draw for a thyroid test. We highly recommend that people go to the vet to have the blood drawn, but instead of using the lab that the vet would normally send it out to, we prefer it goes to Dr. Jean Dodds, (Hemopet) one of the top endicronologists in the country. She has many tests to choose from and the up side is that often times, her prices are about the same or many times less than what you would be charged for sending it to the lab of your vets choosing. And for that you are getting a more comprehensive, more accurate test.
If you want your pet to be with you for many years to come, especially when they become Senior Citizens, make sure to keep their weight at a healthy level. If you are not sure, ask your vet if you can go in and just weigh them to see if they are at an optium weight for their size, breed and age. They shouldn't charge you anything to use their scales, especially if you are not making an appointment to see the Doctor.
