![]() Consider the Health Effects of Being Overweight The target body condition usually lies in between, around four to five. ![]() Typically, scores range from one to nine, with one being very underweight and nine being extremely overweight. 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. For example, most sighthounds should have visible ribs. Remember that a healthy weight will look different for every breed. Your vet can then tell you whether your dog is overweight according to your dog’s size and breed. The best way to tell if your dog is overweight or obese is with a weigh-in at your veterinarian. Also, if you free-choice feed your dog throughout the day, this can encourage obesity. 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. Overweight and obese dogs are typically inactive and spend a lot of time scarfing down their food. “Overweight dogs will have fat pads on the top of their hips.” Examine Your Dog’s Behavior She also recommends inspecting your dog’s hips during petting sessions. “Some animals will have fat sacks between their legs that will waddle when they walk,” says Dr. Check Your Dog for Fat PadsĮxcess fat on your dog’s body is also a major indicator of being overweight. “A dog’s abdomen should not be the same level as the chest and should be tucked up,” says Dr. When viewing your dog from the side, look for a waist that is slightly raised rather than simply hanging down and oval-shaped. Look at Your Dog From the SideĪ sagging waist or swinging stomach is another tell-tale sign of a fat dog. For overweight dogs, it’s very difficult to feel their ribs because there is too much fat in the way. “If your dog’s ribs aren’t extremely prominent and you can easily feel them without having to press hard, then the dog is fit,” she says. Sara Ochoa, DVM, a veterinary advisor for DogLab and practitioner at Whitehouse Veterinary Animal Hospital in Whitehouse, Texas. The feel and prominence of your dog’s ribs are a major indicator of weight issues, says Dr. If, on the other hand, you notice that your dog has a defined waist toward the rear and a straight build down the sides, then they’re probably at a healthy weight. Looking at your dog from above, if you notice that the pup looks rather rotund and oval-shaped, it’s likely that your dog is fat. One of the simplest ways to determine if your dog is fat is to look at the body shape. ![]() Wondering how to tell if your dog is fat or overweight and needs to lose a few pounds? Read on to examine the signs you can look for to determine whether or not your dog is fat and how you can get your pup into shape to stay healthy and happy for years to come. And that extra weight can cause a lot of health issues for your dog, including canine diabetes, heart problems, and painful arthritis. In fact, according to a 2018 survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 55.8 percent of dogs in the United States are overweight or obese. The battle of the bulge isn’t just something people face - so do pets. If your pooch is looking a bit more pudgy than usual, it’s actually quite common.
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