Has anyone heard of this product before?


Fruitables Pumpkin and Oatmeal Blend Weight Loss Supplement

Lose 2% per week
Works with your existing pet food
Ultra low calorie, high-fiber blend (only 17 calories per 1/4 cup)
Improves satiety (reduces begging)
Clinically proven in University Trials (Texas A&M University

Our superblend recipe contains harvest fresh pumpkin, oatmeal and inulin to create a hunger-fighting balance of fiber, combined with nutrient dense fruits & vegetables to provide a nutrient boost during weight loss.

DETAILS DETAILS REVIEWS
REVIEWS + ADD A REVIEWIngredients:Harvest fresh pumpkin, ground oatmeal, inulin, tomato pomace, spinach, blueberry pomace, cinnamon, calcium pantothenate (vitamin b5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin b6), folic acid (vitamin b9), vitamin b12 supplement.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min) 1.00%
Crude Fat (min) 0.03%
Crude Fat (max) 0.50%
Crude Fiber (max) 4.00%
Moisture (max) 89.1%

Calorie Content:
279 kcal/kg

Here's a picture of the product:

I've used the "regular" fruitables canned pumpkin, and both dogs like it. I use it if their poop seems a bit soft, seems to firm it up. Or if I feed them something that they love, but I know the end result is a messy rear end, I add in the pumpkin and it is much better. My boyfirend makes fun of me because I'm always "analyzing doggie poo"!

Never even knew they made a weight loss variety. I'm guessing it just makes them feel fuller longer. Let me know how you think its working. I have a few people I know whom I could recommend it to!

Why pay for the product when you can just give plain ol' canned pumpkin and a little cooked oatmeal? Just seems like a waste, to me...

I'd need to check how much calories would be in oatmeal and pumpkin vs. this product that has only 17 calories per 1/4 cup. And too much pumpkin can also cause diarreha. I know this from personal experience. Maybe it would be different with Storm.

If I could replicate this product with the same amount of calories and vitamins per 1/4 cup for less, I would. Or if someone can tell me how, I would.

I googled the product "inulin" first thinking you may have made a type-o. It seems that the inulin may be the real weight-loss product here. According to WebMD it decreases the body's ability to make certain types of fat. The inulin is also neither digested nor absorbed but goes directly to the bowels where it aids in the growth of certain good bacteria there. I believe it is considered a starchy fiber. On the down side, some articles are linking this "colon bacteria fertilizer" with bowel obstructions.

I'm with Kate... I think I would just feed the pumpkin and oatmeal (however, come to think of it, I do that every day anyway and it is not a part of a weight-loss plan for my pup). Since Sabaka had either a stomach virus given to him by my son or I stupidly gave him some treats that did not sit well on his tummy, I have been giving him a dollop of pumpkin on his food or in his Kong daily. Also the primary grain in his food is oat meal. Maybe you need the inulin...

Sorry... I just typed alot and said nothing...

I was looking at Inulin and caloric content mainly. Otherwise, yes, adding oatmeal and pumpkin to Storm's food is easy. I wanted to get feedback on the product, so Inulin being linked to bowel obstruction is definitely something to think about.

He doesn't like green beans, otherwise, I'd use that as a filler.

CoffeeK8 wrote:

Why pay for the product when you can just give plain ol' canned pumpkin and a little cooked oatmeal? Just seems like a waste, to me...

SabakaMom wrote:

I'm with Kate... I think I would just feed the pumpkin and oatmeal

I have to agree with Kate and Lisa on this one. I personally would stay away from the inulin if I had the option as well.

Good 'ole diet and exercise is more than enough for Storm and really you want slow and steady weight loss, nothing too rapid so I don't think you need something like this product. I don't think it would be harmful to use it but why bother when you can do it yourself for cheaper.

Even if Storm doesn't like green beans you can use other fillers like pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, peas, banana, apple, cottage cheese, quinoa, oats, yogurt, and even rice if any of them agree with him.

In moderation pumpkin really goes both ways in stool regulation, it helps firm up loose stool and it also helps relieve constipation.

If you really want a weight loss supplement (which I don't think you need truthfully) I would highly recommend adding a small amount of extra virgin coconut oil to his diet. While the coconut oil is high calorie and contains fats, it actually helps boost the metabolism which helps the dog lose weight and the fats it contains are the "good" fats. Coconut oil is one of those things that definitely needs to be used in moderation though, a little bit goes a long way If you do decide to use it start out small and work your way up slowly to the recommended daily dose which is 1 tbsp per 30 lbs of body weight. I don't even use that much, I've cut back to only 1 tsp for my 55 lb sibe but then again I use it for health benefits and for their skin/coat, not for weight management.

Off to Whole Foods I go to find Coconut oil!
(I don't think my regular grocery store has it, but I'll check there first).


I'm going to wait to give him coconut oil until I have him transitioned completely over to Wellness Core. I don't want to make too many changes in his food at once.

Thanks for all your input!

Make sure it's extra virgin coconut oil!

got it!
thanks Val!

No problem. I use the coconut oil for my husband and I too, it offers the same health benefits for people. I use a bit of coconut oil for cooking and baking in place of butter or other cooking oils. It doesn't alter the flavor much, my husband and I like cooking with coconut oil.

And for mixing it into the dogs' food, it melts really easy. I just pour a tiny bit of warm water over the coconut oil (which comes in a solid state) and it melts into a liquid then I just stir it up with their HK. I really don't think they even know it's in their food.

I would use it to cook with as well!

I use coconut oil as my daily skin moisturizer...step out of the shower and smooth it on - in Colorado's super dry climate, it does a GREAT job in keeping my skin from getting dry, cracked, and flaky. ;-)

CoffeeK8 wrote:

I use coconut oil as my daily skin moisturizer...step out of the shower and smooth it on - in Colorado's super dry climate, it does a GREAT job in keeping my skin from getting dry, cracked, and flaky. ;-)

It can also be used as a 'wrap' for your dog as well for a super soft, moisturized coat too! Seriously!

You can slather it all over your dogs coat and then wrap saran wrap or a towel over the coat to let it sit for up to an hour (be sure you are in a cool environment for something like this so that the dog doesn't overheat). Then thoroughly rinse your dogs coat several times to get all the coconut oil out and voila! Instant super soft, fluffy and healthy coat. By the way, this is a "secret" shared by one of my friends who actually does this before dog shows to help give her a little extra leg up when she's showing. I know most sibes wouldn't be patient enough to let coconut oil sit in their coat for any length of time though.

I don't think I could stop laughing at my 2 being wrapped in Saran wrap! LOL! And I don't think JD would let me do that! HA!

BUT!....I noticed that on Storm's right leg, I guess you could call it his elbow, he has a brown patch and the fur is thinning in that spot. It's kind of dry under the fur he does have there...would coconut oil help the dry spot and help his fur growth in that spot?

...and it was a sign that Kate got a 'Hip2Save' notice for 2 15-oz containers of Oraganic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil for $13...I bought 2 so I could get free shipping...so I have 4 15-oz containers of coconut oil! (Kate might buy one off me if she needs some)....

cmanding wrote:

I noticed that on Storm's right leg, I guess you could call it his elbow, he has a brown patch and the fur is thinning in that spot. It's kind of dry under the fur he does have there...would coconut oil help the dry spot and help his fur growth in that spot?

Mya has that on her hind right left...elbow i guess. I noticed it like 2 days ago. It would be awesome of the coconut oil helped that!

cmanding wrote:

BUT!....I noticed that on Storm's right leg, I guess you could call it his elbow, he has a brown patch and the fur is thinning in that spot. It's kind of dry under the fur he does have there...would coconut oil help the dry spot and help his fur growth in that spot?

Could it be a pressure sore from laying on the hard floor? I have no idea if the coconut oil would help that, couldn't hurt to try though.

It would make sense that it could be a pressure sore from laying down, after all, he is overweight...and I'm thinking that he's been overweight for a while. Checking back at his records (which I have since his birth!), back in 2007, he was 97 lbs! I was even sent a picture of him when he was still with his original owners in KS, and he looked overweight. I don't know when that picture was taken, but I just think he's been overwight for a while...

But he's with us now...and hubby just took the 2 out for a long run/walk. They both came back panting and headed to their water and drank lots! Now he's dead to the world! LOL!

I think I'm gonna try coconut oil on that dry spot and see what it does...if anything, he'll have silky soft fur on his elbow!

Yup, coconut oil will probably help with that. You could also try that Joshua Tree Salve from Backcountry K-9 on it, too.

I have Pet Salve - is that the same thing?

It's not the same as coconut oil, but it has anti-biotic properties and soothing skin conditioners, so I'd definitely use it!

So...I've been reading labels on dog food, and learning a little more about nutrition for dogs in relation to healthy weight loss since Storm came along...and well, Val is just an awesome influence...and I want to/feel the need to be informed...

I read that inulin is a plant-based ingredient that aids in suppressing hunger, which is found in the product I listed at the beginning of this topic....

...and it is also found in Ziwipeak dog cuisine, derived from chicory!

...and no, I won't be feeding Storm Ziwipeak for weight loss....

Inulin is in a lot of things and it's not necessarily 'bad' but if you don't need it then why use it is my personal opinion on it. In my opinion, the less "unnatural" stuff (unnatural to dogs I mean) that we have to give them the better. If there's a great food that contains inulin like ZP then I wouldn't have any qualms using it, plus in product like ZP it is so far down the list it makes up very little in the food.

My issue with the Fruitables Weight Loss supplement was not the inulin but rather what a waste of money it would be when you could do it so much cheaper on your own and have more control over what is going into your dog. Natural or not, I wouldn't use an appetite stimulant or suppressor for myself now would I use one on my dogs.

I'm really glad to see you getting into the nutrition side of things and learning how to manage Storm's weight loss!

Hubby sometimes teases me about how much I get into what Ginger and Storm is fed...but he also realizes that Ginger is healthier and happier because of how much I got into what she is being fed. And now with Storm, he just lets me make all the decisions as to what he gets fed and how much!