Find the Best Nutritional Options for a Healthy and Lean Dog in the UK

As dog owners, our love for our pets often leads to us showering them with extra treats and food, but it’s important to ensure they maintain a healthy weight. Overindulging can result in your dog gaining unnecessary pounds, making them less active and putting their health at risk.

It can be tough to resist those adorable puppy eyes when they beg for extra food at the dinner table. However, giving in too often could cause your dog to gain weight quickly, especially if others in the household also sneak them snacks. Keeping your dog at a healthy weight is essential for ensuring they stay energetic and enjoy a long, healthy life.

We’re here to help guide you in making the best choices for your dog’s diet. Knowing when your dog is overweight and what steps to take to manage their weight can be difficult, so let’s break it down.

How to Tell if Your Dog Is Overweight
The simplest way to assess your dog’s weight is to visit your vet, but if that’s not an option, you can measure their weight against the recommended BMI for their breed and age. If your dog’s weight is higher than the norm, it might be time to consider a diet plan.

How to Manage Your Dog’s Weight
Exercise and a balanced diet are key in helping your dog lose weight. Below is a selection of the best diet dog foods available in the UK, all formulated to support weight loss while keeping your dog healthy and satisfied.

Best Diet Dog Foods for Weight Management

1. Royal Canin Satiety Support
Ages: 12 months and up
Tailored for dogs with obesity or diabetes, this high-protein food helps preserve muscle mass while promoting safe weight loss. Only purchase this food if recommended by your vet.
Price: £14.99 – Pets at Home

2. AVA Veterinary Approved Optimum Health Weight Management Adult Dog Food
Ages: 1-7 years
This vet-approved food reduces fat by 50% compared to standard adult kibble. It contains digestible chicken protein and prebiotics for a healthy gut.
Price: £54.99 – Pets at Home

3. Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic Weight Management
Ages: 12 months and up
Specially designed to help dogs burn excess fat and regulate their appetite, this food encourages natural energy use to assist with weight loss.
Price: £72.49 – Pets at Home

4. Barking Heads Fat Dog Slim
Ages: 12 months and up
This tasty diet kibble contains 30% less fat than regular kibble. It’s also packed with glucosamine, chondroitin, and L-carnitine to promote weight loss and overall health.
Price: £12.92 – Amazon

5. IAMS Low-Fat Chicken Kibble
Ages: 12 months and up
A budget-friendly choice, this low-fat, non-GMO chicken kibble helps with weight control and supports a strong immune system with added vitamins.
Price: £27.54 – Amazon

6. Pooch & Mutt Slim & Slender
Ages: 12 months and up
Packed with free-range chicken and sweet potato, this kibble promotes fat burning while supporting digestive and skin health with Nutra-Bionic supplements.
Price: £15.99 – Pooch & Mutt

7. Vet’s Kitchen Sensitive Care Turkey & Sweet Potato
Best for Senior Dogs
This grain-free food is designed for older dogs, providing joint support with glucosamine and taurine, as well as fat-burning L-carnitine.
Price: £8.20 – Pets at Home

8. Forthglade Salmon Grain-Free Cold Pressed Dog Food
Ages: 2 months and up
Made with natural ingredients, this salmon-based food is perfect for dogs with poultry allergies and supports gut health.
Price: £14.49 – Amazon

By choosing the right food and providing regular exercise, you can help your dog shed those extra pounds and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.

Expert Says Publicity Will Encourage More Men to Seek Help for Enlarged Prostate

King Charles’ recent revelation about his enlarged prostate diagnosis is expected to prompt more men to seek medical advice, experts have said. The 75-year-old monarch chose to disclose his condition to encourage other men experiencing similar symptoms to get checked.

Prostate issues are particularly common among men aged 50 and over, with one in three affected by symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, and difficulty fully emptying the bladder. By the age of 75, up to 80% of men may experience prostate enlargement, with about half of these men suffering symptoms to varying degrees.

Ian Eardley, a consultant urological surgeon, explained that the condition, though very common with age, can often be managed at first with lifestyle adjustments, such as reducing late-night fluid intake and cutting out caffeine. If these measures don’t work, medications may be used, and in more severe cases, surgical options may be considered.

While the condition is typically benign, Charles is scheduled to undergo a corrective procedure. Eardley noted that publicising such diagnoses can lead to increased awareness and men seeking help. He emphasised that prostate problems, though often seen as a taboo subject, can usually be treated with non-invasive methods such as medication. In fact, many men may only need a simple prescription from their GP.

Prostate Cancer UK specialist nurse, Meg Burgess, also highlighted that as the prostate enlarges, it can press on the urethra, leading to urinary issues. While surgery is not always required, men experiencing significant symptoms can benefit from medication or a range of surgical interventions, such as a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), a common procedure carried out 15,000 times annually in the UK.

Burgess encouraged men with urinary difficulties or concerns about prostate cancer to contact their GP for advice and to explore available treatment options.

A Study Highlights Dangerous Sound Levels in Gaming, Urging Awareness and Protective Measures

Researchers have raised concerns about the risks of permanent hearing loss and tinnitus among video gamers, following a review of 14 global studies involving over 50,000 individuals. The review found that the sound levels in gaming often approach or surpass the safe limits set for prolonged exposure.

The study, published in BMJ Public Health, warned that gamers who frequently listen to high-intensity sound for extended periods could face irreversible damage. Particularly dangerous are impulse sounds, such as shooting effects, which can be extremely loud, experts noted. The research team, which included specialists from the University of South Carolina and the World Health Organisation, highlighted that many gamers, including children and teenagers, tend to game for long stretches, putting them at higher risk.

The study’s findings suggest that noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus are significant concerns for avid gamers. “We need greater awareness and educational initiatives to inform gamers about the risks of unsafe listening habits,” said the researchers. They emphasized the importance of promoting safe listening practices to mitigate potential harm.

According to established guidelines, exposure to sounds at varying decibel levels should be limited to specific durations to prevent hearing damage. For instance, sound levels of 83dB should be limited to 20 hours, while 92dB should only be tolerated for 2.5 hours a week. Children, however, are more vulnerable to noise, with permissible exposure at 75dB capped at 40 hours per week. The study indicated that gaming sounds frequently exceed these thresholds, particularly when it comes to high-impact sounds like shooting effects, which can pose a danger even if the overall sound levels seem within safe ranges.

Franki Oliver, the audiology manager at the RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People), reinforced the study’s findings, stating that the duration and volume of exposure are the two critical factors influencing hearing damage. She advised that users of gaming headsets or headphones should ensure they do not exceed safe volume limits. Oliver also urged parents to monitor younger players and encourage regular breaks to reduce the risk of harm.

The study’s authors called for more research into the specific impact of gaming on hearing and for the development of guidelines to promote safer gaming habits. Noise-induced hearing damage is irreversible but preventable, and the experts are calling for proactive steps to safeguard gamers’ auditory health.