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Press Release

Expect something different in pet weight loss

Hill's Pet Nutrition launches Hill's® Prescription Diet® Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution and Healthy Weight Protocol

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (Jan. 20, 2013) Hill's Pet Nutrition asks veterinary health care teams to expect something different when they recommend new Hill's® Prescription Diet® Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution pet food for dogs and cats.

 

Therapeutic foods work in clinical settings under strictly controlled conditions, but Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution is proven to work in real homes with real pets and their owners under real world conditions. Validated by a veterinarian-supervised, blinded feeding trial with 314 client-owned dogs and cats, the study was uniquely designed to determine if pets would lose weight even if their owners didn't know they were participating in a weight loss study. Even without a strictly controlled weight loss program, pets lost an average of 0.7 percent of initial body weight per week.2 This rate of weekly weight loss is comparable to the results of rigorously managed weight loss programs.3

As a result, 88 percent of cats and dogs lost weight in two months at home, a vast improvement over the reported 50 percent success rate for most weight loss programs. More importantly, eight out of 10 pet owners were so happy with their pet's results they said they would recommend Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution to friends with overweight pets.2

"The development of Hill's pet foods is guided by factual, leading-edge scientific research, and we are encouraged by the success pet owners in the feeding trial have seen," said Janet Donlin, D.V.M., chief veterinary officer at Hill's. "This formula has been in development for a number of years and we are confident that the results Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution produced for these pet owners are only the beginning."

Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution contains a synergistic blend of natural ingredients carefully selected based on their ability to change the unhealthy metabolism of overweight pets to be more like the healthy metabolism of lean pets. This change in metabolism activates each pet's natural ability to burn excess body fat.2 The formula is clinically proven to promote 28 percent body fat loss in dogs and 29 percent body fat loss in cats in two months, all while sparing lean muscle mass.2

Most notably, the critical benefit to the pet owner and healthcare team is that no transition is necessary once ideal weight is reached. Studies show pets can consume 50 percent more calories of Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution during weight maintenance equating to weight maintenance without deprivation.

"Eddy the cat came in for his one month follow-up and lost 0.8 lbs. or 5 percent of his total body weight, and his owner was so excited she was in tears," said James R. Swanson, hospital manager at Forest Creek Animal Hospital and Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution trial participant. "It's awesome being involved with this program and getting to share in an owner's excitement over finally seeing positive results after several years of failed attempts."

For many pet owners, losing and maintaining weight can mean depriving pets through pet food restriction and behavior change. To help, Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution includes a complete portfolio of dry food, canned food and treats designed to work together for flexible weight loss success, without deprivation. This in turn makes it easier for pet owners to keep pets on the program and comply with the veterinary healthcare team's feeding recommendation.

To help veterinary healthcare teams start the weight conversation, Hill's offers Healthy Weight Protocol, a new approach to more accurately diagnose and manage pet weight problems. Veterinarians at The University of Tennessee, in partnership with Hill's, created the Healthy Weight Protocol tools to provide a customized plan to help pets achieve their individual weight loss goal. These tools were validated in more than 25 breeds of dogs and eight breeds of cats and compared to the dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) predicted ideal weight for each pet. In addition, the tools are designed to:

  • More accurately assess an overweight patient's ideal weight
  • Engage clients with easy to understand, objective numbers
  • Create a customized feeding plan, based on each patient's ideal weight
  • Monitor progress
  • Keep patients on track to successful weight loss

For more information on Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution, veterinary healthcare teams may visit HillsVet.com/Metabolic, and the new Hill's Healthy Weight Protocol tools can be accessed at HWP.HillsVet.com.

About Hill's Pet Nutrition
Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. manufactures Hill's® Prescription Diet® brand pet foods, therapeutic pet foods available only through veterinarians, Hill's® Science Diet® and the new Hill's®Ideal Balance™ brand pet foods sold through veterinarians and finer pet specialty stores. Founded more than 60 years ago with a unique commitment to pet nutrition and well-being, Hill's is committed to its mission to help enrich and lengthen the special relationships between people and their pets. Hill's produces high-quality, great-tasting pet foods owners can trust and give to their canine and feline companions as part of a veterinary health care team recommendation. For more information about Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., and Hill's Evidence-Based Clinical Nutrition™ visit HillsPet.com, or visit us on Facebook, keywords "Hill's Pet Nutrition" or follow us on Twitter at @HillsVet.

 

Contact:
Edisa Chacin
1-800-445-5777
Edisa_Chacin@hillspet.com

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2. Data on file. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.

3. Tvarijonaviciute, A., J. J. Ceron, et al. "Effects of weight loss in obese cats on biochemical analytes related to inflammation and glucose homeostasis." Domest Anim Endocrinol 42(3): 129-141. German, A. J., S. L. Holden, et al. (2012). "Long-term follow-up after weight management in obese dogs: The role of diet in preventing regain." Vet J 192(1): 65-70.