• Labrador Mike was taken to the Dogs Trust in Loughborough, Leicestershire, after his elderly owner passed away
• The Labrador tips the scales at 9st 5lbs - double what he should weigh
• Shocked staff have now put him on a 41-week plan to shed the pounds
  

By Suzannah Hills

PUBLISHED: 05:31 EST, 18 January 2013 | UPDATED: 06:37 EST, 18 January 2013

An overweight Labrador has been put on an intensive weight loss regime after gorging on chicken dinners led to him ballooning to more than nine stone.

Labrador Mike shocked staff at the Dogs Trust when they discovered he tipped the scales at just under 60kg - 9st 5lbs - which is double what he should weigh.

Mike, who is just three-years-old, has now been placed on a strict calorie-controlled diet and it is hoped his strained joints will get some help from the centre's hydrotherapy pool - once he can fit into it.

Obese: Overweight Labrador Mike tips the scales at a staggering 60kg - 9st 5lbs - which is double what he should weigh

Weighing in: A stunned vet at the Dogs Trust in Loughborough, Leicestershire, puts Mike on the scales

Staff at the re-homing centre in Loughborough, Leicestershire, are currently taking Mike - who weighs more than famous singers Taylor Swift and Jennifer Lopez - for three short walks a day.

Mike can currently only walk around 100 metres before getting out of breath. But staff hope this will improve as he loses weight.

The 41-week plan is aimed at helping him lose one per cent of his body weight a week before reaching an initial target weight of 35kg.

It is hoped Mike - who currently weighs the same as 150 tins of dog food - can eventually slim down to around 30-32kg which is a healthy size for a Labrador.

The Labrador, whose elderly owner recently passed away, is joined at the centre by his brother Bud, who weighs 44kg, but they have to be fed their restricted calorie dog food separately in case Mike helps himself to his brother's.

Unhealthy: Mike's shocking weight - which is around the same as 150 tins of dog food - is putting strain on his joints and organs

Hard work: Mike can only walk around 100 metres before he gets out of breath and needs a rest

Ella Tonge, Dogs Trust Loughborough Supporter Relations Officer: 'Mike is the largest dog we have had at Dogs Trust Loughborough.

'His diet had basically been full chicken dinners and other human-based food. He will eat pretty much anything.

'But we know that with some attention and a very strict diet we can help him shed those pounds.

'He now eats two small meals of restricted calorie dog food a day and we take him for three short walks.

'We are hoping hydrotherapy will help him lose some weight a little bit quicker by releasing some of the strain on his joint, but unfortunately he’s too large for the tank at the moment.'

Calorie counting: Mike, pictured with Dogs Trust staff member Kate Hansell, has now been placed on a 41-week plan with a strict calorie controlled diet to help him lose the weight

Contrasting physiques: Golden Labrador Mike, who weighs nearly 60kg, looks significantly larger than black Labrador Rory, pictured left, who weighs a healthy 24kg at The Dog's Trust in Loughborough

She added: 'He is such a loveable dog. None of us have seen a dog so overweight. He wants to play with everyone so we feel sorry for him that he can't yet.

'His plight highlights the danger of over-feeding your pet and even worse feeding them a human diet.

'What is fine for us to eat is not for them, especially when combined with very little exercise.'

Once Mike is re-homed - the new owners will need to have room for both Mike and Bud - he will return to Dogs Trust Loughborough for weigh-ins every two weeks to make sure he's still on the right track.

Paws for thought: Dogs Trust Veterinary Director Paula Boyden hopes Mike's case will show other dog owners how it important it is to feed their pet appropriate food

Looking for a new home: When Mike is a healthy weight the Dogs Trust will help him find a new home with his brother Bud who weighs 44kg

Dogs Trust Veterinary Director Paula Boyden said: 'The concern with Mike is the strain this excess weight is putting on his body, particularly his heart and joints.

'Human food is not an ideal balanced diet for your dog.

'Treats and special meals should be dog friendly, occasional and certainly not a replacement for his regular diet.

'Such treats are often highly calorific so if you are giving to your dog, reduce his daily meal portions accordingly.'

Information on Mike and other dogs at Loughborough can be found at www.dogstrust.org.uk or they are on Twitter at @DT_Loughborough.

Keeping on track: Once he has been re-homed, Mike will continue to visit the Dogs Trust in Loughborough every two weeks for weigh-ins to make sure he stays a healthy weight

Tags: Health