Early this year, Halo teamed up with Bideawee, a New York-based rescue organization, for its biggest loser competition between eight fat cats awaiting adoption. After an initial weigh-in, the cats began their diet on February 2nd eating proper portions of the $32,000 worth of canned Spots Stew that Halo donated for the weight loss challenge, and for Bideawee’s other residents. Dr. Donna Spector, Halo’s vet, supervised the contestants, and she reports on final weigh-ins:

The Bideawee-Halo Feline Weight Loss Challenge has come to an end! The weight loss competition transformed seven flabby felines into sleeker shinier kitties. For these cats, weight loss means they are at less risk for the development of diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and other obesity-related problems.

The Feline Weight Loss Challenge program began February 2 with Domino and Missy in Westhampton; Jack, Dixie, Violet and Suki in Wantagh; and Emily and Minky in Manhattan. (Emily dropped out shortly thereafter because of a medical condition.)

The cats had a one week food transition period prior to the start of the study to insure they were slowly adapted and eating the food well. At the onset of the challenge, the cats were weighed and examined by a Bideawee resident veterinarian. Their ideal weight was determined and Halo’s veterinarian, Dr. Donna Spector, created an individual Halo diet plan for each cat. The cats were fed and monitored closely twice daily. Once each week the cats were examined and re-weighed by the same veterinarian at each facility. The cats all ate the diet well and experienced no digestive or other disturbances.

The Challenge was a success…

· All cats were considered obese at the start of the study. On average they were 28% overweight (20-39%). This is like an extra 42 pounds on a 150 pound woman! Alarming when you think of it that way!!

· Six of the seven cats achieved the projected weight loss of 1 to 2% each week on the Halo feeding program. The remaining cat lost 0.75% each week. Cats shouldn’t lose weight quicker than this due to the possible development of a fatal liver condition, called hepatic lipidosis.

· On average the cats lost 6.1% body weight during the four week competition. The range of weight loss was from 3% up to 9.4% during the four week period.

· We also noted a marked improvement in the skin and haircoat of several of the participant cats. Although unrelated to weight loss, it was an amazing benefit of the Halo feeding program!

For healthy weight loss, it would take an average of 14-28 weeks to get these cats to their goal weights. Just like people, it is best that pets lose weight slowly but surely. We have encouraged the new adoptive owners to continue with calorie restriction and increased exercise in order to maximize the health of their new family members.

Check out this nice little article about Save Our Strays, a wonderful nonprofit animal rescue in Vermont. They’ve placed nearly 3,000 cats and dogs in permanent homes!

This article in Seven Days Vermont talks about Halo and Ellen DeGeneres donating $32,000 (retail value) of Halo Spot’s Stew.

Read more here.

Dr. Spector offered this advice for pet lovers, following the sad news of Oprah’s puppy.

Parvovirus is one of the most common infectious diseases in dogs and can be an absolutely devastating infection in puppies. It is extremely hardy in the environment and due to its ability to be transmitted by hands, clothes, food bowls, bedding, etc it can be easily spread. It is critical to practice excellent hygiene and disinfect (with detergent and bleach) all surfaces that you and your puppy have come into contact with to avoid spread to other dogs.

There are vaccinations which are safe and effective, but despite the best vaccination protocols, all puppies will have a small window of susceptibility of a few days where they will be at risk for getting parvovirus. Because of this, it is important to avoid taking very young puppies into dog-social settings (day care, boarding, obedience class, etc) until they have at least two or three of their puppy parvovirus vaccinations.

Ask your veterinarian for advice on this, as it will depend on if you have an at-risk breed (Rottweiler, Labrador, etc) and the importance of getting your dog socialized at a young age. If your dog gets parvovirus, seek veterinary medical attention immediately as early supportive treatment increases the chance of survival.

We send our deepest condolences to Oprah Winfrey on the loss of her dear Cocker Spaniel puppy Ivan yesterday, from complications with parvo. Click here for one of many stories on the sad event.

When my family lost our beloved boxer Jasmine a couple years back, we took solace in the fact that at 13, she lived a long and happy life. Most of us know the pain of losing a beloved four-legged family member, but the loss of a puppy or kitten must be a special challenge.

Here is a helpful website for information on parvovirus.

I asked Dr. Donna Spector for a few words of advice for all of us regarding Parvo. We’ll post her response shortly.

We also send our hopes for a full recovery to Ivan’s sister Sadie – Oprah’s other puppy – for a full recovery soon!

I’m pleased to point you to a new page on Halopets.com – and probably my personal favorite: Halo Cares.

Here you’ll find a synopsis of some heartwarming stories of people working to improve the well-being of animals and the people who love them. From exemplary animal welfare organizations, to tales of individual heroics on behalf of animals – these stories help summarize Halo’s corporate philanthropy.

Our giving is made possible by the commitment of our customers. So thank you for your passionate devotion to the well-being of animals, and for making these donations possible!