Can Dogs have Prader-Willi Syndrome?

[StillandSilent]

I feel stupid asking this, but I am at the end of my rope with one of our shelter dogs. She is obese. She has been switched to eating Innova and loves it. She eats the amount recommended as well as forkful of green beans. She eats twice a day and is given no snacks period. When training, she eats bits of her kibble and that amount is subtracted from her second feeding.
However, she thinks she is starving to death. If she is released from her cage, the first thing she does is look for food. I've never seen an animal so driven to find food. If there is no food to be found, she will try to eat plants, sticks, rocks and paper. Dealing with her means constantly monitering her to make sure she is not eating anything.
She has been checked by the vet, and he can not find anything wrong with her thyroid or other hormones. I just don't know what is wrong with her.

 

[okiegirl]

She eats the amount recommended as well as forkful of green beans.

The recommended feeding amount on bags is usually way too much. I've found that my dogs maintain well on about 1 cup less than is recommended. So that's where I'd start with the obesity - check the feeding recommendations for the weight you want her to be at - not the weight she's at now, and feed slightly less than that. You may have to give up to half a can of green beans with each feeding to help her feel full. As far as being obsessive about food - I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions except for upping the amount of green beans.

 

[Herschel]

I feel stupid asking this, but I am at the end of my rope with one of our shelter dogs. She is obese. She has been switched to eating Innova and loves it. She eats the amount recommended as well as forkful of green beans. She eats twice a day and is given no snacks period. When training, she eats bits of her kibble and that amount is subtracted from her second feeding.
However, she thinks she is starving to death. If she is released from her cage, the first thing she does is look for food. I've never seen an animal so driven to find food. If there is no food to be found, she will try to eat plants, sticks, rocks and paper. Dealing with her means constantly monitering her to make sure she is not eating anything.
She has been checked by the vet, and he can not find anything wrong with her thyroid or other hormones. I just don't know what is wrong with her.

Why would you assume Prader-Willi?

Some dogs love food more than others. Some dogs have slower metabolisms than others. Some dogs will get obese on "recommended guidelines". Have you tried cutting down the amount of Innova and increasing the amount of green beans?

 

[showpug]

Regular Innova is loaded with calories. I usually feed my dogs half the amount that the bag recommends and that keeps them at a healthy weight. I would try cutting back your dogs kibble and adding more green beans like previously suggested. Ice cubes can also be a fun treat as well and keep them busy for a while.

 

[Zoom]

Some dogs are just super food obsessed. My "half-dog" Aubrey constantly hoovers the floor at work looking for any little tidbit or morsel she can come across. She's at a perfect weight and just thinks she needs to eat more. If I fed my foster Lab enough to make her feel "full", she would both vomit up all of her meals and be grossly obese. Most dogs don't have an internal "shut-off" switch...they would literally eat themselves to death if given the chance.

 

[StillandSilent]

I'm glad to hear others have dogs like this. I thought my dogs were food obsessed, and they are nothing like Willow. Since Innova is high in calories, would it be better to try Canidae? I have a sample bag coming from them. I'll also try upping the green beans.

 

[okiegirl]

I tend to like the lower calorie foods for chow hounds. They get to eat more bulk and stay at the same amount of calories. Helps them feel a little more satisfied, but then the food bill goes up...

Is it possible to feed her meals out of something like a Tricky Treats ball? Making mealtime a mental and physical exercise can help too.

 

[showpug]

I'm glad to hear others have dogs like this. I thought my dogs were food obsessed, and they are nothing like Willow. Since Innova is high in calories, would it be better to try Canidae? I have a sample bag coming from them. I'll also try upping the green beans.

Innova is a great food, but very calorie dense. You could give Canidae a try or just cut back the amount of Innova fed...