Gina, a three-year-old Rottweiler from Durban, has proven her pound-shedding prowess by scooping the 2004 Hill's Pet Slimmer of the Year title.
Since joining the veterinary supervised Hill's Weight Management Programme sixteen months ago Gina, who was then categorised as an extremely obese pet, has lost 23 kg of fat - almost 40 percent of her bodyweight.
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"Pet obesity is reaching epidemic proportions," warns Dr Guy Fyvie, Hill's Pet Nutrition's veterinary consultant. "Up to fifty percent of pet cats and dogs are overweight and while painful joints are one of the health problems more common in overweight pets, they are also at increased risk of heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and cancer."
2000 entries
During 2004 over two thousand pets around South Africa and Namibia enrolled on the Hill's Weight Management programme. All pets that reached their target weight by end August were eligible to enter the competition.
According to competition judge Rina Cronwright of Hill's Pet Nutrition the top 40 entrants had an average weight loss of 27.94% - and between them lost almost a quarter ton of fat.
Commenting on Gina's weight loss achievements Cronwright said, "Gina's owners have been fantastic about sticking to the diet and her life is now much more fulfilled, with regular walking and constant play! All entrants have benefited enormously through the weight loss programme as they now all enjoy better health."
Peanuts and pizza led to weight problem Like many pet lovers, Gina's owners, Isabel and Raymond Fenner, showered their pets with love, affection and ad lib food, and the vet advised them that they were literally killing their dogs with kindness. They agreed to put Gina and the family's other dogs onto the Hill's Weight Management programme and she has gone from being too fat to walk, to running around the garden with a new zest for life.
"It was a huge adjustment to go from food available 24 hours, to just three small, specially prescribed meals daily," said Isabel Fenner. "No more peanuts, pizza and other treats! But as the fat started to melt away, Gina began to show new energy, running, jumping and playing. Her coat shines, she has a clearly defined waistline and sparkling eyes and she is healthy and energetic. It took great determination to ignore the beseeching eyes, but we are very glad we did!" said Fenner.
Sister Lisa Pretorius, the veterinary nurse who supervised Gina's weight loss, is delighted with Gina's win. "Our veterinary practice specialises in orthopaedics and many of the animals we see with joint and skeletal problems have them simply because they weigh too much," she said. "Sometimes a pet is too fat for surgery, and if the owners cannot reduce their pet's weight, tragically euthanasia is sometimes the only option", she warned.
Gina, as winner of the 2004 Hill's Pet Slimmer of the Year, has won a three-month supply of Hill's pet food and for her owners a trip to Mauritius worth R25 000, which Isabel Fenner says will be "a second honeymoon".
The finalists
The eight finalists in the 2004 Hill's Pet Slimmer of the Year were:
Winner, Gina, the three year old Rottweiler from Pinetown, Durban who went from 58kg to 35kg (39.99% of body weight)
Honey, a Miniature Pinscher from Northdene, Durban who went from 8.1kg 3.7kg (54.32% of body weight)
Liquerice, a Dachshund from Graaff-Reinet, E Cape, who went from 10.5kg to 6.5kg (38.10% of body weight)
Miss Muffet, a Dachshund from Howick, KZN, who went from 15kg to 9kg (40% of body weight)
Nicci, a Staffie cross from Springbok, N Cape, who went from 36.8kg to 19.6kg (46.74% of body weight)
Rosie, a Dachshund from Sabie, Mpumalanga who went from 9.7kg to 5.8kg (40.21% of body weight)
Shadow, a Labrador from Edenvale, Johannesburg who went from 37.5kg to 23kg (38.67% of body weight)
Tracey, a cat from Melkbosstrand, Cape Town, who went from 7.2kg to 4.9kgs (31.94% of body weight)
Issued by Paula Wilson Media Consulting on behalf of Hill's Pet Nutrition.
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