Obie the Dachshund became famous years ago when he appeared on TV. Back then, he weighed 77 pounds. He was so big it was hard not to notice him.
Obie’s belly got dragged on the ground whenever he moved. He couldn’t lift his leg when he peed. He couldn’t scratch his neck.
How did he get to this point where he was 50 pounds overweight? His human parents, loving as they are, fed him human food. And they fed him a lot. Before they knew it, Obie had gained so much weight they didn’t know what to do with him.
A veterinarian tech stepped in to help the poor dog. The first thing she did was change his diet. She fed him the right amount of dry food, and Obie’s weight started going down by at least 1 pound a week.
Eventually, the dog’s weight went down to about 20 pounds. He could now move better and faster. He could also do things like lift his leg whenever he peed, or use his hind leg to scratch his ear. His mom couldn’t be more proud.
Because he lost a lot of weight, Obie ended up with too much excess skin. His mom took him to the doctor to have it removed. The doctor did a “modified tummy tuck” on the dog, and now he looked a lot leaner and healthier.
The dog that became famous for being obese once more caught the public eye for his victory in the battle against obesity. He had his own calendar and served as an inspiration to those who had dogs that needed to lose weight.
Obie’s story is truly amazing. It reminds us that no matter how hopeless things may look, they can become better. We just need to be determined to change them and be hopeful that things will turn out for the best.
Source: WFLA News Channel 8 via YouTube
