When we last checked in with Obie the Dachshund, he was being pulled this way and that. The people who had rescued and cared for the portly pup were embroiled in a legal battle over who had custody. Fortunately, that's all done now: A judge ruled in January that the dog would be staying with his foster mom, Nora Vanatta, and he has, continuing his weight loss regimen with much success.
Obie has lost 40 pounds, down from a staggering 77. But as the weight evaporated, the excess skin did not. Obie had huge amount of loose folds harming the clean lines of his new physique. Check out his "bosom pile," as Nora dubbed it on Obie's Biggest Loser, Doxie Edition Facebook page:
How much loose skin is that? About two and a half pounds worth. It was getting to be an issue, so Nora scheduled Obie for surgery. On Tuesday, she posted this on the Facebook page:
Dr. Kramer will be performing the surgery at Oregon Expert Vets. I don't know that this surgery has ever been performed on a dog before after a significant weight loss but it will be similar to doing a mass removal procedure. He will likely have tension sutures, compression bandages and drains in place. I will be with him every step of the way and will be available to scrub in and assist. He will stay in the hospital tonight so he can receive IV fluids and pain medication.
Fortunately, by Wednesday, Obie was safely in recovery, the operation a success. Here's some photos of the procedure and recovery:
"He is a little whiny but doing well. Getting ready to offer him some dinner," Nora wrote on Facebook while Obie was in recovery.
Obie is now close to meeting his goal, according to Nora.
"We haven't weighed him since the surgery, but he lost two and a half pounds of skin," she told KGW.com. "So he should be around 35 pounds now. I figure his healthy weight is between 28 and 30 pounds."
To give you an idea of all he has accomplished, check out this before and after shot of Obie (taken before the surgery):
It has been quite a journey, but the end is in sight. And during it all, Obie and Nora have been educating others on pet obesity, appearing on talk shows, speaking at conferences, and presenting at vet schools.
He has also been spending a lot of time with his buddy Nog:
What Nora did should be commended. She saved this dog's life! The story is not over yet, but it looks like there will be a happy ending for Obie!
