A heavyweight boxer dog has given up his breakfast of Weetabix with goats’ milk and honey to be crowned one of the nation’s top pet slimmers.

Eight-year-old Bruce was dangerously obese, tipping the scales at 8st 8lbs – 60% overweight.

But with the help of vets at the PDSA hospital in Gillingham, Bruce is now more of a featherweight, having lost a fifth of his body weight.

He is now a much healthier 6st 13lb and well on the way to reaching his ideal weight.

And to top off his slimming success story, he has been named runner-up in the PDSA’s Pet Fit Club competition.

“He’s like a puppy again and so much more active. Hopefully he will also be with us for longer too” - Thomas Cummins

Owner Thomas Cummins, 57, of Compass Close, Rochester, said: “He was always a big dog and used to hate exercise, but we were worried about his health so knew we had to do something.

“I’m so glad we entered him into PDSA Pet Fit Club, as the diet was easy to stick to and we got lots of support from PDSA.

He added: “The difference in Bruce is amazing, he can walk further now and he’s clearly much happier.

“He’s like a puppy again and so much more active. Hopefully he will also be with us for longer too.”

As well as his Weetabix breakfast, Bruce was given treats and titbits which meant his weight piled on.

PDSA vet nurse Lorraine Everard, who helped oversee Bruce’s diet, said: “He looks absolutely amazing since shedding the pounds.

“It’s wonderful to see Bruce so full of life again.”

In a battle of the bulge, Bruce was competing against 10 other podgy pets from across the UK, and the results were announced on a new ITV1 show Fat Pets – Slimmer of the Year, presented by actress Angela Griffin and Westlife singer Kian Egan.

The title of Pet Fit Club champion was awarded to a bulldog called Daisy who lost 27% of her bodyweight.

The 11 finalists lost a combined 4st 10lbs – the weight of a typical nine-year-old child.

PDSA vet and competition judge Elaine Pendlebury said: “Bruce’s achievement is an amazing success story – it proves that it’s never too late to make a positive difference to a pet’s health and lifestyle.”

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