Graham Mobile Veterinary Weight Management Services

08/16/2024

FRIDAY FUNSIES 🤪 You've got to have a good sense of humour to get through a weight loss program with your pet. Morty's owner slays us with her updates on his antics 😹

Part of our service is to provide moral support – including laughter 🤣 – during your pet's weight loss journey. If you don't think you can go it alone, contact us for help! Visit our website – www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca – for more info 😉

08/12/2024

Check out our new look 🤩 We are super pleased with how our amazing graphic designer captured some of our favourite elements from the original logo to maintain continuity 😊 Let us know what you think!

07/19/2024

FRIDAY FUNSIES 🤣 Kitty was loving her Catit Canada Creamy lickable tube treat so much that she even took home the leftovers... all over her cute little face 😹 Kitty was so chillaxed for her visit with Dr. Graham at Arthur Veterinary Clinic that she baked biscuits 🍪 throughout the entire examination 🥰

(Photo shared with permission from Kitty's family)

07/17/2024

We have another winner 🥳 Nia achieved her target weight last week 😊 Nia's case was quite unusual in that her weight loss progress was like clockwork, to the point where she was affectionately known as Robo-Nia 🤖 You'll see in Nia's weight loss graph that her target weight changed a few times during her weight loss journey; it's important to adjust the goals for weight loss according to the pet's changing body shape and this is one reason why rechecks are so critical. Since geography dictated that we didn't get to see Nia very often in person – Nia lives over 500 km from our home base 🚗 – we leaned on her regular veterinary practice for support in monitoring not just her weight but also her body condition score. A big shout-out to St. Lawrence Valley Animal Hospital for the key role they played in Nia's success 🤗

One of the biggest game-changers for Nia was the gradual elimination of the various human foods she was receiving – not any easy task given those classic Golden Retriever puppydog eyes 👁 Nia's owners stayed strong and now report that she is much more energetic, keen to go on walks, and is handling the summer heat waves in stride. We are really proud of what Nia and her owners have accomplished 🥰 Please join us in congratulating them!

We are here to walk you through every step of your pet's weight loss journey 🐾👣 Visit our website – www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca – to learn more about how we can help!

(Photo courtesy of Nia's family and shared with permission)

07/15/2024

Meet our little fashionista, Lex, the newest weight management patient in our roster 🥰 Lex had some pretty serious orthopedic issues early in life and while these were fixed surgically, she has started to run into issues again as she has gotten older. Her family reached out to us for help getting Lex to a healthier weight so that she can live her best life for as long as possible ❤️

When we first met Lex, she was taking her job of "pre-wash cycle" for the dishwasher very seriously 😂 Her family has since stopped this behaviour and this change, combined with precise feeding of a weight loss diet, has already paid off in spades ♠️: Lex has been losing weight beautifully! Please join us in encouraging Lex's family to keep up the great work as she continues on her weight loss journey 🥳

We're always up to the challenge of helping pets attain a healthier weight! Reach out any time by visiting our website: www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca

(Photos courtesy of Lex's family and shared with permission)

06/18/2024

We are just full of good news these days 🥳 Remember Perch, our barn-cat-turned-house-cat patient named for her fish scale-like markings? Under the wonderful care of her new owners, she has now achieved her ideal weight 😊 While Perch's weight loss graph looks pretty impressive, perhaps the most astounding accomplishment is that she lost a combined total of 18 cm off her chest and abdomen! HOLY MACKEREL 🐟

Added bonus: she did it without having to give up her beloved treats – although let's just say she no longer has a jumbo-sized container of Temptations at her disposal 😂 We factored a controlled number of specific treats into Perch's weight loss program and her owners diligently counted each day's treat allowance out, Caturday included 😉 This, combined with weighing her dry food and portioning her wet food precisely, were what made her weight loss journey go so smoothly.

Check out Perch enjoying her best new life in a beautiful old farmhouse where one of her favourite activities is chasing flies 🪰 She is one very lucky kitty! Please join us in congratulating Perch and her owners! 🥰

(Some photos courtesy of Perch's family; all photos shared with permission)

06/13/2024

TIME TO PARTY 🥳 We are very excited to announce that Tom achieved his target weight this week 🤩

Each of our patients have unique circumstances to keep us on our toes and, in Tom's case, the biggest concern was his diabetes. This disease is commonly seen in cats with obesity and weight loss is critical in helping to improve the control of blood sugar levels. Tom's weight loss was pursued with a low-carbohydrate canned weight loss diet and this change resulted in safe, effective weight loss and some of the best blood sugar levels Tom has experienced since becoming diabetic 😊 One symptom of diabetes in cats is the classic "plantigrade stance" where they appear to stand crouched on their hind legs. Check out Tom's Before and After photos – even more impressive than the improvement in his body condition is the dramatic change in his hind end posture 😍

Most importantly, Tom's quality of life has improved significantly ❤️ His family reports that Tom is now much more agile and active, actually *running* around the house, including scaling the stairs. He's playing with items he'd lost interest in – his favourites being sheets of packing paper and ping pong balls 🏓 – and is once again captivated by all the critters in the garden that he supervises from his catio 🐿

We are very proud of Tom and his family for what they've accomplished 🥹 It's been an honour to work alongside Baldry Veterinary House Call Services and VCA Canada Mississauga Oakville Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital as part of Tom's veterinary healthcare team 🥰 Visit our website for more information on how we can help improve the quality of life of dogs and cats: www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca

(Some photos courtesy of Tom's family; all photos shared with permission)

06/10/2024

Use your words! 📖 Pet obesity is often seen as a taboo subject with many people simply avoiding it altogether. Staying silent is only making matters worse. Referring to obesity as the disease that it is – "Rover *has* obesity" rather than “Rover *is* obese” – helps to remove stigma and judgement but also gives hope. 🙂 Many diseases, obesity included, are treatable and preventable and the first step towards addressing pet obesity is opening up the conversation.

We challenge you to make that little tiny change in your day-to-day interactions and, while you're at it, put the F-word – F.A.T. – on your Swear Jar list. 😉 What other words would you add to the list? Comment below!

Check out the most recent blog from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) to learn more about the semantics of obesity: https://www.petobesityprevention.org/articlesandnews/how-we-should-talk-about-obesity-in-animals

06/04/2024

"The word 'chonky' is now officially recognized in most dictionaries, defined as 'plump or chubby especially in an endearing way'. No wonder we have a problem." 😢

Check out our new blog on the pet obesity epidemic that came out of our partnership with Dogpacking.com by visiting https://dogpacking.com/too-much-of-a-good-thing-the-nationwide-dog-obesity-epidemic/ 🥰 It's a heavy – pun intended – but important topic and the silver lining is that pet obesity is both treatable and preventable, starting with taking "chonky" out of our vocabulary so we can talk about pet obesity seriously 🧐

Dogpacking – the pursuit of extreme outdoor adventures 🥾🚲⛺️🏄‍♂️🛶 with your dog – should be pursued with extreme care if your dog is not in ideal physical condition. If your pup is not quite dogpacking-ready, visit our website – www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca – to learn more about how Graham Mobile Veterinary Weight Management Services can help ❤️

05/23/2024

Check out Oliver making a splash in the underwater treadmill with the King Animal Hospital rehabilitation team 🤩 You may remember that Oliver's case is especially challenging because we currently can't put him on a true weight loss diet due other health issues; because of this, we didn't quite know how much we'd be able to accomplish with Oliver's weight management program and set fairly modest expectations… Well, Oliver and his entourage of caregivers have blown those expectations out of the water 💦 – literally! The changes his family have made in their feeding habits and strategies – weighing his food, implementing Sure Petcare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeders to ensure he can only access his own food, and incorporating food puzzles – combined with his brilliant primary veterinarian at Armitage Animal Clinic referring him for rehabilitation therapy have resulted in remarkable weight loss progress 🥰 As they say, it takes a village 😊

Oliver is proof that even if a pet has other health conditions, weight loss can often still be pursued. Visit our website www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca to learn more about how we can help!

(Photo courtesy of Oliver's family and shared with permission)

05/14/2024

Hangry kitty? 😾 Lick mat for the win! 🤩 We recognize that hunger and begging are important concerns for owners when a weight loss program is recommended for their pet. For our patient, Morty, implementing a lick mat was game-changing! 😊 Morty gets some of his wet food as a snack using his lick mat which takes him considerably longer to eat, helping him feel more satisfied. His owner has noticed a significant improvement in Morty's begging behaviour, reducing her sense of guilt and easing the pressure on her willpower. 🥰

Food puzzles 🧩 have many benefits beyond mitigating begging – check out our blog, The Hunger Games, to learn more about them: https://thehealthierpetwithin.ca/the-hunger-games/

(Photo courtesy of Morty's owner and shared with permission)

04/29/2024

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! After years of frustration, Charlee's owner reached out to us at a time when she had pretty much given up hope of Charlee ever being a healthy weight. Her owner was already doing so many things right – using a digital kitchen scale to portion Charlee's food, monitoring her weight weekly, and documenting every last detail in a logbook – but despite these efforts, Charlee was not losing weight. To add to the challenge, Charlee also had an exceptionally picky appetite and was exhibiting begging behaviours, particularly at night. This all meant that we had to dig deep into our bag of tricks and get very creative to manage Charlee's case. With a lot of experimentation to find the right combination of diets and feeding strategies, we are thrilled to announce that Charlee officially achieved her ideal target weight this past week 🤩

Check out Charlee's new, svelte body condition and especially the changes in her cute little mug 🥰 Most importantly, what can't be captured in photographs is the improvement in Charlee's quality of life: according to her owner, "Charlee is a different kitty – she is more alert, more playful, and stays awake more during the day” 😻

Please join us in congratulating Charlee's owner and celebrating her success 🥳 It's been an honour to work alongside Pine Ridge Veterinary Clinic as part of Charlee's veterinary healthcare team!

If you feel like you've tried everything to help your pet lose weight, Graham Mobile Veterinary Weight Management Services is happy to step up to the challenge! Visit our website for more information: www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca

(Some photos courtesy of Charlee's owner; all photos shared with permission)

04/02/2024

Adorable Oliver is our newest patient 🥰 He's going to be a challenging case because he needs to eat a hypoallergenic food to manage a separate health condition. Since we can't change Oliver's diet, we are focusing our efforts on strategies for feeding him separately from his kittycat sidekick and ensuring his food portions are measured as precisely as possible ⚖️ This means we are also changing our expectations and moving the goal posts to simply avoiding further weight gain and, if we're really lucky, achieving gradual weight loss 🍀

Oliver's case highlights the importance of celebrating every win, no matter how big or small 🥳 Each step towards a healthier weight results in improved wellbeing and quality of life Please join us in supporting Oliver and his family in his weight loss journey! ❤️

Even if your pet has other health conditions, weight loss can often still be pursued. Visit our www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca to learn more about how we can help!

(Photo courtesy of Oliver's family and shared with permission)

03/30/2024

🌸 Spring is just around the corner which means CATIO SEASON 😻 Want to know what a catio is? Check out Dr. Graham's recently published article in The Wellington Advertiser 😎 To read the full article, find the link in the In The Media section of our website: https://thehealthierpetwithin.ca/in-the-media/ or track down the OG, Catio Lanterns, in our Blog section: https://thehealthierpetwithin.ca/catio-lanterns/ 🤓

03/30/2024

🌸 Spring is just around the corner which means CATIO SEASON 😻 Want to know what a catio is? Check out Dr. Graham's recently published article in The Wellington Advertiser: https://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/a-breath-of-fresh-air-giving-indoor-cats-a-taste-of-the-great-outdoors/ 😎

This article is a spin-off of our original blog, Catio Lanterns. Check out all of the fun blogs on our website: https://thehealthierpetwithin.ca/blog/ 🤓

03/14/2024

Ever heard of dogpacking? 🐶 This term essentially encompasses the pursuit of outdoor adventures – hiking 🥾, biking 🚲, paddling 🚣‍♀️, camping 🏕, etc. – with your dog. We recently partnered with DogPacking.com to publish a blog about maintaining your Adventure Dog's healthy weight – check it out: https://dogpacking.com/5-expert-tips-for-a-healthy-dog-weight/ 😊 While you're at it, take a look at all the other great content on their website and subscribe to their newsletter or give them a follow on social media for the latest! 😎

⚠️ Dogpacking adventures should be pursued with extreme care if your dog is not in ideal physical condition and, regardless of your dog's health status, should only be undertaken after a clean bill of health from your veterinarian. 👩‍⚕️ We can help get your dog to a healthy weight – or help with maintaining your dog's ideal weight – to make adventures with your dog as safe as possible. 🥰 Contact us at www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca

03/12/2024

Meet Morty 😻 He has already made great headway towards a healthier weight thanks to his family's commitment to his weight loss program 😊 Not only is Morty the newest addition to our patient roster, he is also the most remote, living way up north in Thunder Bay – that's about 900 km, as the crow flies, or about 1400 km and 15 hours driving distance from our home base near Guelph 😮

Telemedicine allows us to manage Morty's weight loss program virtually with the support of his regular veterinary healthcare team 🏥 We also have patients in Cornwall, Barrie, Cobourg, Toronto, and Burlington, as well as those closer to home, so we truly cover the entire province!

No matter where you reside in Ontario, we can help with your pet's weight – please don't hesitate to reach out: www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca (For those outside of the province, we can also work directly with your regular veterinarian to create a tailored weight loss program for your pet 😊)

(Photos courtesy of Morty's family and shared with permission)

03/10/2024

Once in a while there are times where cheating on your diet is justified... Today Dr. Graham's handsome boy, JD, turned 15 years old 🥳 And yes, he got a 630-calorie Happy Birthday treat 🎂 To be fair, he only got a small piece of it and the rest will be rationed over the next week or so. Check out our Cookie Monsters blog series for how to treat your pet right: https://thehealthierpetwithin.ca/how-the-cookie-crumbles/

A number of research studies have shown that pets with a healthy weight and body condition live longer and have a better quality of life than those with obesity. Graham Mobile Veterinary Weight Management Services' top priority is to help your pet live their best – and longest – life 🥰 Contact us if you need our support!

02/20/2024

We are full of good news lately 😊 Phoenix (left) and Ramses (middle) have made fantastic headway in their weight loss programs while photo-bomber Hades (right) has played cheerleader from the sidelines 📣 Ramses has achieved his ideal weight and is looking positively svelte! He has more energy than ever (if that is even possible 🤣) and his weight loss will go a long way towards improving some of his underlying health issues 🤩 Sweet Miss Phoenix struggled with her weight loss program at first due to undiagnosed hypothyroidism but, with that now under control, she is finally making amazing progress 🥰 We are super proud of both dogs and their owner for her dedication to improving their health and wellbeing!

Weight loss is easier when you have friends along for the ride 😉 We offer a multi-pet discount for households with more than one pet that needs a weight loss program! Check out our website – www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca – for more information.

(Photos courtesy of the Three Musketeers' owner and shared with permission)

02/16/2024

FRIDAY FUNSIES! 🤪 Weighing our patients is integral to what we do so we've seen it all... This video by Watreallyhappensatthevet is spot-on 🤣 Which one is your dog?

(P.S. There's a Part 2 which we'll share next week – stay tuned or give the creator a follow and check it out yourself!)

https://www.facebook.com/reel/361251693398197

02/13/2024

Remember gorgeous Miss Charlee? Despite a number of hurdles in her weight loss program, Charlee's family has done a fantastic job of remaining dedicated to getting her to a healthier weight. She is *almost* there and feeling so much better 😊 Charlee is more playful and showing interest in toys she previously ignored. She's very excited for the spring weather to arrive so she can go back outdoors – with her owner attached to the other end of her leash 😉 – and visit her Chippy friend 🐿 Please join us in encouraging Charlee and her family through the final stages of her weight loss program 😍

Please check out our website – www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca – for more information on what Graham Mobile Veterinary Weight Management Services is all about!

(Photos shared with permission from Charlee's family)

02/05/2024

📣 BREAKING NEWS 📣 After well over a year of hard work, one of our most challenging – and rewarding – weight loss patients, Maru, has achieved his ideal weight! 🥳 This little character lost 50% of his body weight 😮 through the remarkable diligence and willpower of his family 🥰 Maru went from being a notoriously picky eater catered to with home-cooked meals to eating precise amounts of our favourite weight loss diet for picky dogs – Veterinary Diets OM Overweight Management Select Blend – paired with some carefully allotted treats and human foods to achieve his goals and we could not be more proud of him and his family 😊 They report that he is a completely different dog – happier and more energetic – and that friends and neighbours do not even recognize him 🤩 Maru also had a number of serious health problems that completely resolved as he approached a healthier weight. Please join us in celebrating Maru's successful weight loss journey and congratulating his family! 😍

If you feel that getting your pet to healthier weight is an insurmountable task, we can support you! Visit our website – www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca – for more information.

(Photo shared with permission from Maru's family)

01/30/2024

We are very proud to share that Tom is making some life-changing headway in his weight loss program 😊 Tom came to us as a diabetic cat – a condition commonly seen in cats with obesity – whose blood sugar levels were far too high and all over the map, despite being on insulin and under the excellent care of both his regular veterinarian and an internal medicine specialist. Last week, after months of weight loss progress, Tom's blood sugar levels finally normalized – a major milestone! 🥳 Not only that, Tom's quality of life has improved dramatically: His family reports that he is much more agile and active and overall is a much happier cat 😻

Here's handsome Tom posing with our model representing one pound of fat – along with his Mini-Me stuffy and his favourite food puzzle 😂 Tom has lost two thirds of his excess weight and exactly THREE of those pound-of-fat models since he began his weight loss journey with us 🥰

If you need help with your diabetic cat's weight, please visit our website www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca to see how we can support you.

(Photo shared with permission from Tom's family)

01/16/2024

Is your pet a Cookie Monster? 🍪 Check out our much-anticipated blog series for the truth about treats and how to (properly) spoil your pet rotten! 😍

Cookie Monsters - Part I: How the Cookie Crumbles https://thehealthierpetwithin.ca/how-the-cookie-crumbles/

Cookie Monsters - Part II: The Icing on the Cake https://thehealthierpetwithin.ca/the-icing-on-the-cake/

📣 Help us get the word out on how to treat your pet right by sharing this post! 📣

Graham Mobile Veterinary Weight Management Services creates tailored weight loss programs – treats included! – for dogs and cats anywhere in Ontario! Visit our website – www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca – for more information on how we can help your pet 🙂

The contribution of treats to the pet obesity epidemic, quite frankly, takes the biscuit.

01/12/2024

FRIDAY FUNSIES! 🤪 Outtake from a photo session for our new blog series about treats 🍭 Clearly Penelope is finding her food puzzle absolutely *captivating* 😴 🤣

Stay tuned for our set of upcoming blogs about how to properly spoil your pet rotten 😉

01/10/2024

Did you know that dogs at a healthy weight live longer, happier lives compared to dogs with obesity? 😊 Jasper, one of our very first weight loss patients, is a case in point. Here he is living his best life at 12 years old while maintaining his healthier weight like a champ 🥰

It's never too late to improve your pet's quality of life through weight management. Visit our website – www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca – to learn more about how we can help!

(Photo courtesy of Jasper's family and shared with permission)

01/01/2024

🎉 HAPPY 2024! 🎊

To celebrate the New Year – and support the resolutions that go along with it – we are making our pet weight management programs even more accessible 😊 We have added IN-CLINIC WEIGHT MANAGEMENT CONSULTATIONS to our list of services!

We now offer four options to help any pet in Ontario achieve a healthier weight:

- House call visits – working directly with the pet and the owner in their own home
- Telemedicine visits – working directly with the pet and owner through an online platform
- Vet-to-vet consultations – working directly with the regular veterinary practice to help them support the pet and owner (This service is available for any veterinary clinic in Canada! 🇨🇦)
- *NEW* In-clinic consultations – working directly with the pet and owner at their regular veterinary practice in-person or through an online platform

This flexibility allows us to customize an approach that best suits the client and patient, eliminating geographical boundaries!

Contact us for more information on any of our services at www.thehealthierpetwithin.ca !

12/23/2023

🎄 Wishing all of our clients, veterinary partners, and social media followers a happy and safe holiday season! 🎄