Is My Dog Overweight or Underweight?
Knowing if your dog is overweight or underweight can be tricky, especially with so many breeds, mixes and combinations around.
Even within breeds there is always a range of recommended weight, whether it be show or working line.
But there is an easy way to tell.
It is always heart breaking to see a starving dog, with it’s bones showing but fat dogs are just as uncomfortable.
It is important to keep your dog in his ideal weight to avoid strain on the joints and other complications.
In fact dogs kept at their ideal weight outlive littermates by almost 2 whole years!!
So how do you tell if you dog is overweight or under?
Here are some quick, useful tips on how to keep a close eye on your pup.
Why is my Dog Underweight?
Apart from not getting enough food to eat there are a few medical reasons for your dog to be thin- listed below;
- Parasites – Mainly “worms”, which infect young puppies and will be taking out all the nutrients from the dog’s intestines. The stomach will also be bloated and distended, ribs can usually be seen too. It can cause serious illness if left untreated but fortunately is very easy to medicate. A simple worming tablet will usually suffice.
- Teeth problems – Mainly people won’t realise their dogs are actually in a lot of pain with bad teeth. They will be less willing to chew and may be put off altogether. Often very bad breath is noticed along with discoloured teeth or even red, sore gums. A vet would be able to diagnose this quickly and recommend if any need removing.
- Diarrhoea- Most dogs will have a bit of diarrhoea at some point in their lives for a day or so. However prolonged diarrhoea gets very serious very quickly, after 48 hours a vet will need to be called. This can be caused by infections and bacteria which will need medicines to fight off. Loss of water is more serious than food but if a dog has many bouts of it then he will slowly lose weight.
- Diabetes – Not as rare as you may think! Like us dogs can get diabetes too, this can be tested at the vets with a blood test and then the dog must be on a very strict diet and medicated for the rest of his life.
- Cancer- Mainly seen in elderly dogs, tumours can start anywhere in the body but unfortunately, cancer that binds around the organs we don’t see it until it is too late. Tumours can block off parts of the digestive system or bind to vital organs, making them ineffective at functioning.
This dog is naturally lean, however too many ribs are on show here. She is definitely underweight.
Some breeds are more bony (such as greyhounds) or thick set (such as mastiffs) than other breeds, so it can be good to have a look at other dogs of the same breed to get a comparison.
Check if your Dog is Overweight;
Check if Your Dog is Overweight in 2 Minutes:-
- Look at your dog, there should be a waist between the hips and rib cage.
- Feel along your dog’s body, you should be able to easily feel the ribs but not see them poking out.
- The base of the tail should also run in a smooth line, overweight dogs could have a bulge of fat where the tail joins the body.
- Check the legs of your dog don’t look out of proportion to her body. (Twiglets underneath a brick) Remember these are your dog’s tiny joints taking the strain of the extra weight.
Pugs are naturally stocky but the above is far too fat, the harness is even disappearing into it’s rolls! I’ve personally met 2 dogs that didn’t make it past 6 years because they were obese.
If you believe your friend to be overweight, or under, then the first thing is to adjust their food intake.
Perhaps you’ve been too liberal with the treats or your dog’s portion sizes aren’t quite big enough to sustain his exercise regime.
Whatever way you need to go, make sure you make changes gradually (no one likes a diet!)
Increasing exercise for weight loss will only go so far to help him and can even be dangerous if he is too heavy.
If your dog isn’t showing signs of changes within a couple of weeks it is best to consult a good vet. They have scales where you can easily weigh your dog (for free) and will have knowledge of low or high calorie food.
They can also rule out any underlying problems for why your dog isn’t heading in the right direction.
If you’re really struggling consult the breeder, or better, a vet.
A dog’s belly size is not a great indicator of weight, dogs that have had several litters or are over the age of 7 will have less of a neat tummy tuck and more of a middle-aged potbelly look, as the abdomen muscles weaken (happens to us all!).
The main reason dogs get tubby is we feed them too much… a bit like ourselves!
All Three are the Correct Weight for their Breed
Here you can see, with three very different breeds, a clear visible waist (just before the hips).
The actual breed shape varies so much between them but still it’s possible to see each within their ideal weight range.
Dogs are very efficient animals and don’t need a lot to live off. Especially small dogs.
A lot of owners feel guilty and say their dogs are hungry all the time. This is partially true.
In the same way we are “hungry all the time”. We aren’t really but if someone put a bowl of popcorn or crisps in front of us at any point we’d probably eat it.
It’s simply a survival instinct to eat as much as you can because the next meal could be days away.
You may have even trained your dog to stare soulfully at you throughout the day by giving him tipbits.
Stop the treats and he will soon find something else to do instead.
If you are really convinced your dog is super hungry split his meals into 4 or 5 a day! (same amount of food mind you!).
Of course there are also medical reasons why your dog won’t lose weight;
- Neutering – A neutered dog requires fewer calories than an entire one, due to hormonal changes.
- Cushings – An over production of cortisol which can be screened by the vet and easily medicated.
- Hypothyroidism – When the thyroid gland isn’t producing enough hormones, again this can be screened by a vet and easily treated.
An overweight dog will never put himself on a diet or try to “better his health” so it’s up to us, as good owners, to love and protect them.
So remember to keep a check on your best friend’s weight – it may just give you those extra years together!
0 Comments