A porky Dachshund who was so obese she couldn't even walk and was at risk of dying has halved her body weight after tipping the scales at two stone.
Miri, a seven-year-old miniature Dachshund started to pile on the pounds when her owner became ill and could no longer walk her.
Her belly and chest were touching the floor as she walked, and her back legs could barely take the weight.
But after she was rescued and rehomed by Dachshund Rescue UK, the pup was placed on a strict weight loss plan by new owner, Jean Fitch, 55 and vets - who warned that if she got any bigger she could have died.
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Now, after halving her bodyweight in six months, Miri weighs the healthy average for her breed, just under one stone, or 6.3kg, and can even jump up onto the sofa for cuddles.
Jean, a retired acupuncture nurse, said: "I've always kept Dachshunds since I was a teenager but I have never seen one as big as Miri was.
"When she first came to me I couldn't do much exercise with her because she had so much excess fat that it was weighing her head down and affecting her breathing when she walked.
"Her back legs couldn't take the weight and her belly and chest were touching the floor. Now she looks like a completely different dog.
"Friends ask me, 'what happened to your other Dachshund' and can hardly believe it's still Miri.
"It's quite emotional looking back at pictures of her when she first came to me.
"The vets warned me that if she hadn't lost the weight it could have been a very different story, it could have been fatal."
When Miri first arrived with Jean in Bedford, no one knew how seriously overweight she really was until the day they collected her.
But despite the severity of the situation, Jean and Miri's vets were careful not to place her on a crash diet or over exert her with exercise, which could have been more detrimental.
Jean said: "We were told Miri was a little overweight but we didn't realise how big.
"The first time I saw her she was wrapped up in a blanket on the passenger seat of a car with her little head peeking out.
"It wasn't until she was lifted out that I realised the scale of the situation and tried to lift her into my own car.
"We didn't want her to feel starved so we gradually reduced her portion sizes.
"The walks were very slow and short to begin with until she could manage to go for five miles.
"She used to be very nervous as well but now she loves the attention and fuss.
"Her favourite thing to do is to jump up on the sofa and lay in my lap for some cuddles after a long day."
