Gearing up for launch of 2025 Slim Pals campaign

SUPPORTING owners of obese or overweight pets will be the theme of VetPartners’ first campaign of 2025.

Slim Pals is our most popular annual campaign and will run from January to March.

The aim is to help our practice teams share advice and best practices that lead to positive conversations with owners about healthy weight management of their dogs, cats and rabbits, and encourage them to help their pets to shed the extra kilos.

Reassuring owners that obesity is manageable alongside other associated conditions such as arthritis and talking about positive results that can be achieved together, are key to successful conversations.

Slim Pals follows straight on from our Senior Pet Wellness campaign, enabling practice teams to continue discussions around arthritis care and how losing weight can improve pain and quality of life.

We’re proud to say our practices have made a huge impact in the lives of overweight pets by encouraging clients to manage their pets’ weight.

Uplands Way head nurse Emily Philpot won a Hills Award at the 2024 BVNA Congress for helping a Labrador called James lose 10 kilos.

If you need inspiration, take a look at our case studies from our practices below.

During the Slim Pals campaign, VetPartners is offering support material, including client information sheets, waiting room posters, weight loss records, body conditioning score charts and tape measures.

All the resources are now available to order through Paw Print portals.

There will be product offers for clients from Royal Canin.

To encourage practices to involve all team members – veterinary receptionists, veterinary nurses and vets – there is CPD available for everyone on VetPartners Learning here: Weight Management - VetPartners Learning

Anyone who would like support in setting up weight loss clinics should speak to their Business Development Director.

Please email marketing@vetpartners.co.uk for any further information.

Case Study 1 – James’ weight loss secure head nurses top award

A Norfolk rescue dog is enjoying a new lease of life after shedding a quarter of his bodyweight.

Labrador James lost 10kg (one-and-a-half stone) – equivalent to a large sack of pet food – after his worried new owner feared he was overweight and took him to a pet weight loss clinic.

His owner took James to Uplands Way Vets in Bressingham for weight advice after adopting him last year, when he tipped the scales at a hefty 45kg (seven stone). Carrying too many pounds was affecting the six-year-old pooch’s health and mobility, and he struggled to get up again after lying down.

Uplands Way head nurse Emily Philpot, pictured above with James during his weight management session, says that through eating a healthy diet combined with increased exercise, James is now a much trimmer 34.2kg (just over five stone).

Case study 2 – Maizy’s half the cat she used to be!

A much-loved cat shed almost half her weight after attending weight clinics at Clyde Vets in Lanarkshire.

Maizy’s owner turned to the practice as she was concerned her pet was tipping the scales at 9.53kg - more than double the ideal weight for a cat of her stature.

She was signed up for one-to-one weight clinics, which have led to such impressive results the eight-year-old was declared Clyde Vets’ star cat slimmer of 2024.

Maizy, pictured here with Clyde Vets RVN Lisa Ferraioli, has lost almost four kilograms; her waistline has gone from 62cm to 35cm while her chest measurement has dropped from 59cm to 31cm, and her neck is now just 16cm – down from 26cm.

Now 5.8kg and more agile, the house cat is enjoying a fresh lease of life, jumping up onto surfaces that were once beyond her reach due to her size, playing more and grooming herself again properly which is vital for a cat’s health and well-being.

Case study 3 – A ‘toast’ to Northlands after Buddy’s weight loss

A Chihuahua from Northamptonshire was crowned a Northlands Veterinary Group super slimmer after attending weight management sessions for pets.

Seven-year-old Buddy, left with owners and RVN Sarah Lane, is enjoying a new lease of life since losing a third of his bodyweight.

Buddy weighed 7.43kg when his owner took him to the veterinary hospital in Kettering, because she was worried he was getting out of breath quickly on walks. After being checked by a vet, Buddy was referred to the weight clinics.

The weight had slowly crept on because the pet was persuading his family to give him titbits of human food including his favourite treat of toast.

Since losing weight, Mrs Beeby says Buddy has been transformed and not only looks healthier, he’s happier and has more energy.

 Article by Amanda Little, VetPartners PR and Communications Director. Email amanda.little@vetpartners.co.uk