Lyka Story: How fresh food has helped Jax the Cavalier lose weight

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Jax the cavalier

When your pup has an underlying health issue, keeping them at a healthy weight becomes even more important. Jax’s fur mama Cathryn found it tough to stop him from gaining weight, which was worrying his vet due to his heart issues. Then, she found Lyka on Instagram, which she decided to try. Now, Jax is at a healthy weight, has no more itchy skin, and Cathryn no longer has to worry that her homemade food isn’t giving her pup all of the nutrients he needs.

Meet Cathryn and her cute cavalier, Jax

After looking after a friend’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel for a few months, Cathryn and her family knew it was time to get one of their own. Cathryn bought Jax from a reputable breeder, and her family was overjoyed to have their own puppy. Cathryn describes Jax as a shy, yet protective dog, who loves spending time with his family and is always happy. He’s also always keen to play, even when it’s not with his human family:

“We used to live in an area where there were lots of bunnies. You would just say the word ‘bunny’ and he would run his heart out chasing them! He’d never ever catch them though.”

Jax’s fur mama, Cathryn

Jax’s heart issues

Small Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy

Around 8 months after coming home to his family, Jax’s vet picked up a heart murmur, for which he was referred to see a cardiologist. Jax had to undergo a keyhole surgery, after which it was found that he had an enlarged heart which would need to be monitored. With his heart issues, it became more important than ever to make sure that Jax was getting a healthy diet.

Cathryn had been preparing all of Jax’s food for him using vegetables, meat and rice, but knew that she couldn’t make sure he was getting all of the nutrients he needed. She also found it very time-consuming to prepare his meals herself. Jax’s vet noticed that he was gaining weight since Cathryn found it hard to determine the right quantity of food for her pup, and was giving him some treats too. Keeping Jax at a healthy weight was critical for his heart health, so Cathryn knew she had to change his diet. Then, Cathryn found Lyka on Instagram.

Jax loves his Lyka

Cathryn was drawn to Lyka as it is an Australian company, and her vet recommended Lyka over the raw foods that Jax had been eating previously. She decided to sign up on the Half Bowl plan to see how Jax would take to the food, but Jax loved his Lyka so much that Cathryn changed to the Full Bowl plan even before he’d finished his first box.

“The team at Lyka is so enthusiastic, passionate and supportive. Prior to my first box arriving, Lyka even reached out via email to let me know exactly how to prepare Jax for change of new food. I remember opening the first pouch and it smelt good and appetising. Let’s just say my dog took to the food with relish.”

Jax’s fur mama, Cathryn

Cathryn found out that Jax had a chicken sensitivity, which was causing severely itchy skin. After getting into contact with Team Lyka, she was able to update his plan to only include the Grass-Fed Beef and Lamb recipes, and Jax has had no itchiness since.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel sitting in sun

Lyka’s custom-sized pouches made it easy for Cathryn and her family to give Jax the correct amount of food every day, so he is now at a healthy weight!

“With home cooking I was definitely overfeeding him. Cavaliers just want to eat all day- honestly we often joke that if we let Jax loose on a buffet he would not stop eating. Lyka is honestly so easy, and the tip to leave a little bit in the pouch to use as a treat during the day is the best! I know that if he just has this pouch of food per day he will be kept at a healthy weight.”

Jax’s fur mama, Cathryn

Cathryn also loves that she no longer has to prepare Jax’s meals herself:

“Lyka uses quality ingredients that include vitamins and nutrients which I did not have the time or experience to include in his food. I love the fact that it’s not dry food; it’s lightly cooked and it actually smells good too. It’s been a huge time saver – seriously, the amount of times I ran out of food for Jax and then had to feed him dry food! It’s so easy that the whole family including the teenage boys knows exactly what to feed him.”

Jax’s fur mama, Cathryn

Love your Lyka too

With portion-controlled pouches, you don’t have to worry about how much food you’re meant to give your dog each day to keep them at a healthy weight. Plus, our foods are high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for heart health. To see how Lyka can help your pup (and keep you out of the kitchen), head to our website and build your Starter Box today.

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A picture our range of Lyka meals

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