Achievement of weight loss goals by feeding a consistent weight loss diet and regular nutrition consults

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Purpose and Brief Study Description:

The purpose of this clinical study is to document the weight loss achieved by cats and dogs that are eating only a Hill’s weight loss diet for 6 months in combination with regular nutrition consults.

Enrollment Criteria:

Inclusion Criteria:

• Overweight dogs or cats (BCS of 7/9 or 4/5 or greater) that are otherwise
• Patient must be willing to be safely restrained for physical examinations and morphometric measurements without the use of chemical restraint or injectable
• Owner must be willing to give oral anxiolytics for fear reduction prior to appointments if deemed necessary by the clinician (medication and dose to be determined by the clinician).
• Patient must be amenable to eating only the study-provided weight loss
• Owner must be able to return to the VHC for study required recheck visits, or perform required measurements at home for remote recheck visits.

What does enrollment into this trial involve?

Screening visit:
Overweight dogs and cats will be deemed healthy/fit for study with initial exam. Enrolled pets will have their photo taken and will be sent home with a prescribed diet. It is important enrolled dogs and cats eat only the prescribed diet in the prescribed amount.

Recheck visits:
Enrolled pets will be required to return to the VHC every two weeks after starting the diet, until a weight loss trend has been established. Recheck visits will be required every 2-4 weeks after a weight loss trend has been established, continuing for the duration of the study, up to 6 months. An option for remote recheck appointments may be available at the discretion of the clinician and only performed when deemed medically appropriate. Procedures performed at each recheck visit will include physical exam and photographs. When remote recheck appointments are performed, the client will need to provide appropriate photographs in advance, and have weighed their pet using a consistent measurement device (scale) prior to the appointment. Remote recheck appointments may entail phone calls, email, Zoom or a combination of any of the three.

Fees for Services:
The study will cover the cost of the weight loss diet for the duration of the 6 month study. Participants will receive their diets only when they return for each recheck visit. If a remote recheck visit is deemed appropriate for the next recheck appointment, enough food will be sent to last until the next recheck visit at the VHC. No food will be distributed if recheck appointments are not kept. There is a one-time enrollment fee of $127.00 that must be paid by the client at the initial consultation visit. The enrollment fee will include the initial consultation visit as well as any subsequent recheck visits associated with the weight loss program. The cost of any other treatment visits and/or diagnostics that may be needed will be the responsibility of the client.

Contact Information about this trial:

You can email us at PHNC@vet.k-state.edu or call (785) 532-5690