Obese US dachshund ‘Fat Vincent’ makes remarkable recovery

An overweight sausage dog who weighed a shocking 17kg has had a remarkable turnaround, eight months after he first arrived at a Texan animal shelter.

The dog, known as “Fat Vincent”, was handed in to Harris County Animal Shelter in September last year after his owner died.

Vincent was subsequently diagnosed with high cholesterol and at risk of developing a number of serious health complications as a result of his size.

A representative of Houston dog rescue group K-9 Angels Rescue, Mary Tipton, took it upon herself to foster the dog and help restore him to peak condition.

Eight months of dieting, long walks and water aerobics later, and “Fat Vincent” has since lost more than nine kilograms and is now referred to as “Skinny Vinnie”.

The hound is believed to have been on an diet consisting exclusively of fast-food prior to his arrival at the shelter.

In 2014, 17.6 percent of dogs in the US were found to be obese, while 36 percent were classified as overweight, the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention said.