Monitoring Your Dog’s Weight and Condition
Balancing diet and exercise for your dog's well-being
In order for a dog to thrive, a balance between energy and fat intake through diet and energy expenditure through exercise and training is necessary. An imbalance can lead to overweight or underweight. Let us teach you how to assess your dog's body condition.
Health risks of obesity in dogs
Obesity is detrimental to dogs just like it is to humans. Overweight dogs are a significant animal welfare issue, and many dogs suffer from it. Diabetes, joint problems, skin conditions, heart and vascular diseases, and an increased risk during anesthesia are some of the risks. Obesity is commonly caused by excessive or carbohydrate-rich and fatty diets, often combined with insufficient exercise.
How illness affects a dog's weight
There are diseases like hypothyroidism. This disease reduces metabolism due to underproduction of thyroid hormone. Also, Cushing's disease results in an overproduction of cortisol, often leading to increased eating/drinking and subsequent weight gain. Neutered dogs also tend to gain weight due to decreased metabolism when sex hormones are reduced. If you are unsure about your dog's health, you can read more about Back Pain in Dogs: Symptoms and Treatment.
Safe weight loss with veterinary help
If your dog needs to lose weight, it's important to consult a veterinarian first. "Dieting" should always occur under controlled conditions. The dog is weighed, an ideal weight is determined, and the veterinarian then informs about dietary changes and exercise. The dog is then regularly weighed to ensure that weight loss occurs slowly and safely.
Risks and causes of underweight in dogs
An undernourished dog suffers from constant hunger and risks malnutrition. Low blood sugar levels can negatively affect the liver, kidneys, heart, and other organs. Undernutrition can be caused by the dog simply getting too little food or a nutrient-poor diet with too low fat content. However, underweight is more commonly a result of diseases such as diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, liver disease, and inflammatory diseases in the stomach/intestines. If your dog shows symptoms of food refusal or appetite problems, please read Appetite problems in dogs: how to solve food refusal.
Assess your dog's weight with the Body Condition Score (BCS)
Therefore, it's important for you as the dog parent to determine whether your dog is at an optimal weight. Using a method called Body Condition Score (BCS), which is the dog's Body Mass Index (BMI), you can assess your dog's status. BCS is a scoring table where the dog's physical condition is classified on a scale from 1 to 9. If the dog is under 4, it's considered slightly undernourished or undernourished. If the dog is over 6, it's considered overweight.
Understanding the Body Condition Score (BCS) scale
1-2: Undernourished. Hip bones, spine, and ribs are prominent even from a distance. The dog lacks muscle mass and fat deposits.
3-4: Slightly undernourished. Hips may feel slight and no significant fat is stored. The outermost part of the spine is visible. The dog is clearly thin over hips and abdomen.
5-6: Ideal weight. The waistline can be felt and seen clearly from above. No excess fat. Light pressure over the ribs allows them to be felt without being visible from a distance.
7: Overweight. It's difficult to see the dog's waistline, no clear belly line. Fat structures are visible from a distance and are easily felt on the upper part of the spine.
8-9: Obesity. Large amounts of fat around the chest, back, and neck. No visible belly line.
How to assess your dog's health
To assess your dog's body condition, start by petting and cuddling your dog to make her/him relax and enjoy your handling. Then, let your hands glide over the dog's ribs and chest. Let your strokes become a firmer palpation.
Use your hand to feel your dog's ribs
You should be able to feel your dog's ribs if you press lightly. Press the top of your own hand to get a guideline for the sensation you're looking for. The ribs should not be felt if you just place your hand over the chest, as there's a risk your dog is underweight. If slight pressure is required, your dog is in good shape. If it's difficult to feel the ribs, your dog is likely overweight.
Check the dog's waist for hourglass shape
Now, move your hands towards the dog's waist. When you move your hands from the end of the chest towards the hips, you should feel an hourglass shape.
Analyze the dog's abdominal line for weight status
Also, look at the belly line. From the side, you want to see the belly curve inwards and the line rising towards the hips in a concave arc. If it hangs down or is straight, your dog may be overweight. From above, you want to see the hourglass shape, with a clear difference in width between hips, chest, and waist.
When you need help with your dog's weight
Of course, there are breed-related differences; a St. Bernard and a Whippet should have different body shapes, but neither should be either overweight or underweight in relation to their breeds norm. If you're unsure how to assess your dog's weight, contact your veterinarian for an assessment and assistance with a weight loss plan or advice on how to help your dog gain weight.
Keep your dog in good condition; it optimizes your friend's health. A dog that maintains its ideal weight lives an average of two years longer than overweight dogs.
Written by: Caroline Alupo
Caroline Alupo is Petli's co-founder. She has a master's degree in ethology and is also a trained dog trainer and dog psychologist. She has 19 years of experience as a professional dog trainer. Read more about Caroline here.
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