Thanks for the advice. It's great to know there's a lovely mastiff out there larger than Peanut!

I've decided that Peanut is not overweight, but could still benefit from losing 5 lbs or so. I just have to learn what serving size works best for this purpose, especially with her lower amount of activity.

She's switched to EVO kibble (I began the switch about 2 weeks ago when we first suspected cancer). I add that to homecooked meals of meat (chicken, lately) and veggies (carrots and brussel sprouts, so far). She also gets omega-3 supplements with cottage cheese. And instead of biscuits for treats, she gets hardboiled eggs, cherries, or blueberries.

My worst enemy in this situation is my caring mother, who has visited every day since Peanut's surgery with bags of McDonald's chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers! Today I mentioned my concern about the weight issue, and she promised to bring healthier treats from now on. I know she just wants to spoil Peanut.

Here's Peanut doing her helicopter tail-wag in anticipation of yummy McDonald's food from Gramma….. (This was the first day my mom saw Peanut without a t-shirt… the size of the surgical site surprised her.)