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In the US, obesity is the most common preventable disease among dogs. About one-third of the US population of dogs is obese. What’s more alarming is that obesity can reduce not just your dog’s health, but his lifespan as well.

We all want our fur babies to live as long as we want. If your dog is obese, it’s never too late to change their lifestyle.

A recent study by the Journal of Animal Science led by Thunyaporn Phungviwatnikul found that by changing your dog’s diet, you can help him lose weight. Through a high-protein, high-fiber (HPHF) diet, the study aimed to determine how this affects a dog’s body composition and other aspects. 

During the 24-week study, twelve overweight dogs were fed a HPHF diet. After the 24 weeks, the dogs lost on average 30% of their initial body weight with a 1.4% weight loss per week. 

What’s interesting is that as the dogs lost weight, there was an increase in Allobaculum. Higher Allobaculum, which is correlated with an increase in fecal butyrate – a byproduct of the fermentation of dietary fiber – has anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects in the gut. 
The results of this study show that it really does pay to take extra care in giving your dog the right nutrients he needs. You’ll definitely want to consider looking at fiber-rich, protein-rich diet or even a raw food diet for your fur baby’s health.