A morbidly obese Texas dachshund, once dubbed "Fat Vincent" because his belly was so large it hit the ground when he walked, has found its way out of animal shelter care by dropping half its body weight.

The 7-year-old canine with a love for fast food weighed a whopping 17.24 kilograms in September when he was surrendered to a Houston animal shelter after his elderly owner died, said his foster mother.

His ideal healthy weight is around 7.25 kilograms.

"Vincent's back sloped downward in the middle and our vet was fearful that one false move would cause his back to break," said dog rescuer Melissa Anderson.

Now dubbed "Skinny Vinnie," the dog weighs 7.93 kilograms, Anderson said.