Check Your Dog for Fat Pads
Excess fat on your dog’s body is also a major indicator of being overweight. “Some animals will have fat sacks between their legs that will waddle when they walk,” says Dr. Ochoa. She also recommends inspecting your dog’s hips during petting sessions. “Overweight dogs will have fat pads on the top of their hips.”
Overweight and obese dogs are typically inactive and spend a lot of time scarfing down their food. If you notice that your dog has become a couch potato, has trouble walking, exhibits trouble breathing when walking, and generally appears to have trouble moving about, they might be fat. Also, if you free-choice feed your dog throughout the day, this can encourage obesity.
The best way to tell if your dog is overweight or obese is with a weigh-in at your veterinarian. Your vet can then tell you whether your dog is overweight according to your dog’s size and breed. Remember that a healthy weight will look different for every breed. For example, most sighthounds should have visible ribs.
They will also examine your dog’s body and compare it to a body condition score chart, which ranks a dog’s body type by shape. Typically, scores range from one to nine, with one being very underweight and nine being extremely overweight. The target body condition usually lies in between, around four to five.
If you dog eats too fast, a special bowl that requires the pet to work to get each piece of food is available at most pet stores. Another good tool is a treat ball that dispenses treats only if your dog rolls it around (increasing exercise). Dog training is a fun way for both owner and pet to get exercise, but try rewarding your pet with green beans rather than high calorie treats.
Be sure that dietary changes are explained to family and friends clearly to keep the pet free from exposure to table scraps or disposed food. A weight management protocol that is carefully followed is effective and safe. Once a healthy weight is achieved, a maintenance diet and exercise schedule should be followed for the life of the pet.
If your pet scores as overweight or obese using the above body condition measurements, you may want to visit the veterinarian to rule out any underlying causes and begin a weight management protocol. Your veterinarian will weigh your pet and obtain a body condition score. Results are then compared to breed standards (i.e. certain lean breeds such as the greyhound and most sight hounds will be at a normal weight even when ribs are visible from a distance).
Dietary changes must be made gradually to avoid upsetting the gastrointestinal tract. Unless your veterinarian instructs otherwise, once a new food is purchased, mix half of the new food with half of the old food and feed this mixture for 7 days. Thereafter, you can safely feed the new food only.
Obesity is diagnosed by measuring dogs body weight and obtaining a body condition score (BCS). At home, the easiest way to determine obesity is to follow the body condition score system. There are various methods of assigning an actual number to the BCS, but all BCS charts use the following general body condition measuring system.
How Veterinarians Diagnose Obesity in Dogs
Your veterinarian can obtain your dog’s weight and look for trends over time indicating weight gain or loss. A measurement called body condition scoring can also be done.
The two most commonly used body condition scores are a five-point scale (where three is considered ideal) and a nine-point scale (where four to five is considered ideal). Your dog should have an hourglass shape when viewed from above if he is at his ideal body weight.
Your veterinarian may also run some lab work to check for any underlying conditions that may be contributing to weight gain, such as hypothyroidism or Cushing’s disease. If the weight gain has been very sudden, your veterinarian may also recommend x-rays to check for fluid or masses in the abdomen.
The basic components for treating obesity are exercise and dietary changes. Depending on the severity of obesity and current fitness level, increasing the amount of your dog’s daily exercise may need to be done gradually. In general, most dogs can safely exercise for 15-30 minutes per day to start. The duration and intensity can be slowly increased as your dog loses weight and becomes more fit. A simple walk is feasible for most families, but exercise can also include playing fetch indoors or outdoors, swimming, and running. If your dog is older, you may need to do shorter exercise sessions.
Dietary changes should be made with the guidance of your dog’s veterinary team. The reduction or elimination of extras like treats and table scraps will be helpful, and a change in type and/or amount of food is often needed. There are many weight loss diets available, and some require a prescription from your veterinarian.
A good goal is weight loss of 1-2% of body weight per week, ideally reducing body fat stores while maintaining lean body tissue. While most dog foods give feeding amount recommendations, these are only guidelines, and individual dogs may need more or less than recommended to maintain ideal body condition. Meal feeding (instead of free choice) is often helpful in controlling caloric intake. It is also important to use a measuring cup to ensure consistent feeding of the appropriate amount of food.
Instead of eliminating treats completely, you may opt to switch to baby carrots, frozen green beans, pumpkin, or lower-calorie dog treats if your veterinarian agrees that these are good options for your dog.
Medications are not typically needed to treat obesity unless your dog has hypothyroidism or Cushing’s disease, in which case regular exams and lab tests will help determine the appropriate type and dose of medication.
The Simple Way To Know If Your Dog Is Overweight – Veterinarian Explains
For most of us, owning a pet is synonymous with some level of physical activity like going for long walks with your dog or playing games with your cat. So, it might surprise you to learn that around 41% of dogs and 32% of cats in Australia are classified as being either overweight or obese.
That’s almost half of all dogs and one in three cats! Thankfully, getting your furry friend back to a healthy weight isn’t as difficult as it might be trying to shed the kilos yourself.
Here are the most common signs of pet obesity, along with a vet’s expert advice about what to do when your dog or cat is too heavy.
While extra round cats and dogs are often an internet sensation, underneath that fur can be layers of dangerous fat that could be causing the animal serious harm. If nothing else, obesity reduces your pet’s life expectancy, means they have a poorer quality of life and compromises their welfare.