An obese beagle struggled to scratch her ears without panting and spent her days gobbling down huge meals and snacking on sliced ham and turkey.
Eight-year-old Snuffy lived with an elderly couple who meant no harm but couldn’t resist treating her and struggled to give her enough exercise.
The unhealthy lifestyle saw Snuffy’s weight trickle up to 64.5 pounds – three times the weight of a healthy beagle, which is between 22 pounds and 24 pounds.
Unhealthy dog: An obese beagle struggled to scratch her ears without panting and spent her days gobbling down huge meals and snacking on sliced ham and turkey (pictured before)
No exercise: Eight-year-old Snuffy lived with an elderly couple who meant no harm but couldn’t resist treating her and struggled to give her enough exercise (pictured before)
Weight loss journey: Snuffy’s weight went up to 64.5 pounds – three times the weight of a healthy beagle, which is between 22 pounds and 24 pounds (pictured after)
But in November 2017, Snuffy was adopted by vet’s assistant Caroline Webster, 26, when her owners moved away.
Caroline, a vet’s assistant of Herndon, Virginia, knew she would have to teach an old dog some new tricks in order to save her life and whip her into shape.
She cut out the deli meat and instead put Snuffy on a strict dog food diet of two regular meals a day.
Caroline also implemented a strict exercise regime of three one-mile walks per day, which included climbing the stairs to her third-floor apartment.
Amazingly, Snuffy lost an incredible 24.5 pounds in just four months and is on track to hit her 30 pound goal weight just in time for the summer.
Caroline said Snuffy is a different dog compared to the one she adopted and can now scratch her ears, climb the stairs and run effortlessly.
The pooch’s health has vastly improved and her loud, disruptive snoring has disappeared.
Caroline said, ‘I’ve known Snuffy for years. She belonged to a client at the clinic, they were an older couple.
Adopted: After living with an elderly couple for years in November 2017 she was adopted by vet’s assistant Caroline Webster, 26, when her owners moved away
Old dog new tricks: Caroline, a vet’s assistant of Herndon, Virginia, knew she would have to teach an old dog some new tricks in order to save her life and whip her into shape
Dangerously overweight: Snuffy pictured on the scale at the vet before her weight loss journey as the scale reads 61.4 pounds
New diet: She used to love deli meat with her meal but now she only eats twice a day
‘They were really sweet but the vet was always saying that Snuffy needed to cut back.
‘They called me one day and told me that they were moving.
‘They said that Snuffy and I got along so well, they’d love if I could adopt her. I always loved Snuffy so I was thrilled.
‘When I got her though, she weighed 64.5 pounds.
‘My apartment is on the third floor of our building and at the beginning, I really thought she was going to have a heart attack going up them. She was panting so hard.
‘I knew I would have to change her lifestyle for her health.
‘She used to love deli meat like turkey with her meal but now she only eats twice a day.
‘For the first few months I cut out treats completely, but because she’s done so well I give her about five every week now.
New owner: Caroline admits that for the first few months she completely cut out all treats but because she’s doing so well she gives her about five every week now
Old man: ‘When I first got her she used to snore like a grown man and she wasn’t even able to scratch because she couldn’t reach,’ Caroline confessed
Outdoorsy: Now Snuffy and Caroline go out for walks a few times a day too and go on longer ones during the weekend
Body goals: Her goal is to drop 30 pounds by summer and Caroline gushed, ‘She’s done so well, she’s lost 24.5 pounds’
Before and after: Since starting her weight loss journey Snuffy (pictured before, left) has lost almost 30 pounds (after, right)
‘We go out for walks a few times a day too and longer ones at the weekend. She’s done so well, she’s lost 24.5 pounds.
‘When I first got her she used to snore like a grown man and she wasn’t even able to scratch because she couldn’t reach.
‘Now she can lift her head and roll into her back without losing her breath.’
Caroline believes that Snuffy’s weight loss has her feeling like a puppy again and she loves being active for the first time in years.
‘She runs after birds and squirrels now and howls like a real beagle. She gets the dog “zoomies” which is like a burst of energy when they run around the room back and forth.
‘I’ve loved having her around and I want her to be here for so many more years.
‘That’s why I’ve tried so hard to get her weight under control.
‘The vet is thrilled with her progress and hopefully she will hit her goal weight of 30 pounds by the summer.’
Caroline has started tracking Snuffy’s weight-loss on Instagram, where she has amassed more than three hundred followers.
‘She’s been getting a lot of support from her followers on Instagram which has been so funny.
‘They say things like, ‘I’m amazed by this before pic’ and’ ‘Great job Snuffy’.
‘I think she genuinely feels like a puppy again.’