WEIGHT REDUCTION IN SEVERELY OBESE DOGS

• Sponsoring Institution: Cooperating Schools of Veterinary Medicine
• Project Status: ACTIVE
• Funding Source: STATE
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0219981
• Project Start Date: Oct 7, 2008
• Project End Date: Apr 6, 2011
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
2621 MORGAN CIR
KNOXVILLE,TN 37996-4540

Performing Department
Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Non Technical Summary
Dogs that are obese will undergo weight loss according to the standards of care. The benefit of weight loss will be evaluated; including activity and disease risk.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
302	3830	1010	100%

Knowledge Area
302 - Nutrient Utilization in Animals;

Subject Of Investigation
3830 - Pets (companion animals);

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;

Keywords

obese

dogs

activity

nutrition

Goals / Objectives
The goals are to evaluate changes in activity, fat mass and body condition scores with ongoing weight loss in dogs. A secondary goal is to evaluate safety by monitoring physical status and blood work. Third, we plan to assess genetic changes with weight loss to evaluate reduction in gene activity associated with metabolic disease.

Project Methods
Obese dogs will undergo a standard weight loss medical plan over the course of 12-24 months. A weight reduction food will be fed as needed to acheive safe weight loss. Dogs will be examined monthly and blood samples will be collected every 2 months. An activity monitor will be used to measure change in activity.