Ozempic and Mounjaro work in people wanting to lose weight by removing the urge to eat, so surely this should work in dogs too and is there a version of Ozempic or Mounjaro for dogs?!
Yes a form of Mounjaro DID exist in dogs, and it was called Slentrol (made of a drug called dirlotapide) and it came onto the market quite a few years ago after extensive tests! It was quite safe and very effective and was set to tackle the obesity epidemic that continues to be a main source of chronic diseases in our dogs.
Why Was Slentrol Weight Loss Drug in Dogs Stopped?
It worked perfectly, just like Mounjaro in people, it curbed the appetite of dogs naturally and stopped them from overeating and begging, but why did they stop making it and stop selling it?
Because no one was buying it!!! No one wants their dog to walk away from their food and stop eating.
When our dogs do that, we take it as a sign that they don't like the food (makes us feel like bad dog parents); or even worse, we worry that they are ill!! So, Slentrol just wouldn't sell for this very reason and the manufacturers stopped making it even though it was SO effective!!
"Slentrol, a weight loss medication for dogs, has been discontinued due to side effects and lack of demand. It was the first FDA-approved drug for canine obesity but faced criticism from pet owners regarding their dogs' decreased interest in food while on the medication."
We all worry about the weights of our dogs - especially those with shorter legs, longer backs, breeds prone to hip dysplasia, dogs that jump on beds and furniture where the extra weight can cause a rupture of their cruciate ligament and result in painful and extensive (and also very expensive) surgery!!
Chocolate brown Labradors are the breed most prone to carrying all that extra weight as there is a genetic mutation in 1/4 of all Labradors that hardwires them for obesity. 50% of dogs are overweight in the UK, predisposing them to painful chronic diseases like arthritis and diabetes, along with shortened lifespans.
So what can be done or be given to our dogs?
We have plant-based dog food companies taking the lead with this with Omni LeanPaws Supplement which will be available in 2026. As shown here, the product is designed to mimic the effects of the GLP-1 hormone, the same peptide targeted by human weight-loss medications like Ozempic. Produced in the gut, GLP-1 regulates blood sugar, fulfils the appetite, and manages weight by reducing the pleasure response to fatty foods.
LeanPaws is described as a “natural”, drug-free supplement designed for dogs. Omni’s solution is a 'patent-pending blend of amino acids and probiotics to replicate the impact of Ozempic, but without the prescriptions, side effects, or diet compatibility issues.'
In placebo-controlled clinical trials, 77% of overweight dogs who were given the product reportedly lost weight. 63% had reductions in clinically assessed body fat composition, while 42% showed improved satiety or reduced begging behaviours. (Read more here)
I will definitely try it on our little Ruff who just adores his food and like his Mum, carries a round happy belly! I am proud of my 'vegan fat rolls' and would never take Ozempic, but I do want Ruff to lose some weight, so I look forward to trying the LeanPaws Supplement when it becomes available!
What important ingredients need to be added to a supplement to support weight loss?
One of the most important ingredients found in all weight loss dog foods (and even human weight loss supplements), is L-Carnitine. It works by helping the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria, (the powerhouse of the cell) where they are oxidised (burned) for energy. This process helps your dog's body use fat as a source of energy, which can contribute to weight loss.
Vit E and Vit C act as important anti-oxidants and also need to be added as remember that fat cells are abnormal inflammatory cells in the body when in excess. We have added these vital ingredients to our Gold Dust Joint and Heart Supplement to help support the heart, but equally to support weight loss in your dogs with joint issues as any excess weight can affect the joints of your dogs.
PS: This joint supplement powder is as effective in your cats too and perfectly safe for cats to keep them jumping and as agile as they have always been (and it can also help with weight loss in cats too!!)
Which other dog supplement contains l-Carnitine?
At Just Be Kind, we are all about the correct balance of nutrients when feeding your dog a wholefood plant-based diet (one of the easiest and most effective ways of supporting weight loss in our dogs and in us - I know as I have a constant battle with my weight as I love my food too much!!!)
You are able to home cook for your dog and I am in awe of anyone who does decide to cook, as it is such a commitment and needs to be done properly, which is why we have formulated a Just Be Kind home cooking supplement with the valuable addition of l-Carnitine, Taurine + so many extra nutrients that your dog needs to prevent any deficiencies.
We have a special offer shown in the image below which comes with a handy chart and includes 400g Home Cooking Supplement + a 150g bottle of pure Omega 3 Daily which is beneficial to use as it contains the Vit D3 needed, as well as the anti-inflammatory Omega 3s that support a healthy weight compared to Omega 6 saturated fats found in animal byproducts that result in weight gain.
Our Omega 3 Daily is so rich in anti-oxidants from a bright pink microalgae which gives it a rich pink colour (and delicious taste), and these anti-oxidants help to counter the harmful effects of inflammatory fat cells naturally.
See our home cooking recipes here
If you live in the US and cannot buy our supplement, we advise using VegeDog supplement or Opal Pets that contains all the extra amino acids and l-Carnitine, and in Europe Taffy and Lily sell the All-In Veluxe Supplement from VegDog and V-Complete from Vegan4Dogs.
Just Be Kind Supplement only supplies to dogs in the UK and is formulated and made here.
Vets Prescribing Vegetables!
That is exactly what needs to happen and not just vets, but doctors need to prescribe vegetables too as the easiest and most effective way to result in healthy weight loss!
My journey as a plant powered vet began while consulting at the PDSA charity where I worked in 2018. I realised the power of giving the simplest and most practical advice is all that we want to hear!
The image attached shows gorgeous black Labrador Paris with her Dad in the photo holding a huge cheque he had raised through a charity cycle ride as he was SO grateful for the simplest of advice that I had given to him for his adored dog Paris.
She suffered from elbow dysplasia and came in regularly to be weighed to alter the amount of Metacam anti-inflammatory she was having. Her Dad (in the photo) suffered from epilepsy, and Paris was more than a pet, she was a therapy dog and there to sound the alarm should anything happen to him.
This overwhelming adoration for her meant that he overfed her with treats (very understandably) as she held such an important role in his life. It was during a 10 minute consultation while bending over feeling Paris' elbows that I gave such simple advice -
"Don't change what you are feeding, just cut back on treats and the amount you feed her, and give her extra vegetables to help her lose weight naturally"
She can have carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans, cabbage.
Paris' Dad was SO thankful with this very basic advice, that he cycled from the Midlands to the coast and raised over £1200 for the PDSA charity!
What we choose to feed our dogs and our cats remains one of the most personal, emotional, and sensitive decisions we will make that affects the future health of our dogs fully!
Carrying extra weight is known to reduce lifespan and due to inflammation, will make any conditions such as arthritis, liver conditions and cancer far worse in our pets, but the goodness of fibre rich vegetables counteracts ALL of this!
What does Charlie's Mum give him to keep his weight down?
Sweetest Labrador Charlie Chops is an adored rescue who suffers from a severely disabled front wrist (possibly from an old injury in his past as a street dog); and he has also been x-rayed and suffers from hip dysplasia. His Mum knows that any extra weight can result in debilitating pain for Charlie (who being a Labrador adores his food and has a tendency to weight gain!).
His Mum Maria made us a video of her cooking vegetables with the addition of nutritional yeast that is high in Vitamin B and gives the vegetables and extra 'cheesy' flavour that dogs really love.
Charlie eats Solo Vegetal as his main food, and the addition of vegetables everyday ensures that he does no risk any weight gain and as you can see; he absolutely LOVES his extra fibre rich and nutrient dense food!
If Charlie's only food that he ate was home cooked, then he would need the valuable addition of Just Be Kind Home Cooking Supplement and Omega 3 Daily.
Vegetables can be used as a replacement for expensive veterinary weight loss diets (that are all meat-based), and following a 100% plant-based diet will also feed the gut microbiome more effectively and help to reduce weight naturally (for both us and our dogs!)
Read all about healthy weighty issues in our dogs and......we even sell low calorie popcorn for dogs!!
What is the lowest calorie vegan dog food?
Our little rescue Ruff loves his food as much as his Mum and he eats vegetables everyday that I cook for him + tofu airfried with nutritional yeast + Green Crunch as his main food as it has a fat content of only 7.5% which is much lower than so many meat-based dog food diets and even vegan diets available!
What about fat jabs for cats?
Yes this is becoming a reality and can soon be available. I was contacted by BBC Radio to speak about this very issue as a vet (they have my contact details from appearing on Channel 5 Jeremy Vine live), as it was in response to this article from August 2025 that appeared in The Telegraph - (Fat Jabs For Cats Coming To A Vets Near You)
These involve actual implants of the GLP-1 drugs to curb the appetite of cats and stop them from overeating - yet again, a way to really worry an owner when their cat with a normally good appetite stops eating.
GLP-1 drugs, such as that they would use to inject into overweight cats, help curb the appetite by mimicking a hormone that signals fullness to the brain, which can lead to reduced food intake and weight loss. They also slow down gastric emptying, contributing to a prolonged feeling of fullness after meals for your cat.
We love to see our cats eat, so will this be effective for cats? I don't think so!!
"Is my cat ill, don't they love me anymore, or love what I am feeding them?!"
What is causing the obesity epidemic in cats?
Maybe the addition of pure sugar to the most commonly fed cat foods such as Sheba and Whiskas as shown below-
The most widely sold cat treat in the UK is Dreamies owned by Mars Petcare (who also own Whiskas, Sheba and all the Royal Canin pet food range with many obesity prescription diets amongst them).
Dreamies are made from highly addictive cheese (a product that should NOT be fed to cats as inflammatory, addictive and highly processed), but it remains one of the top sellers for pet food corporate Mars Petcare.
A latest article, shows that a meta-analysis of 16 studies on dietary carbohydrates in commercial cat foods, published earlier this year, showed dietary fat, rather than carbohydrates, was linked to increases in body mass fat.
We really need to rethink how we choose to feed our dogs and our cats, and the importance of a balanced plant-based diet and more vegetables cannot be over-emphasised when encouraging healthy weight loss....for us, our dogs and our cats!!!
