Menu
Cart

10 tips to determine if your pet is overweight

Posted on

Think your pet is overweight? Here are 10 tips to find out the truth.

 

  1. Tummy tuck – Take a side view of your pet and see if the belly tucks or droops in nicely beyond the chest barrel. If your canine has the perfect weight, the tummy tuck is deal.
  2. Jelly belly – This is indicative of excess weight, particularly in cats, but may also be noticed in overweight dogs. In puppies, the bellies tend to be more rounded even when they are not overweight candidates. However, a distended belly could signal worms or similar problems. If the body shape of your pet worries you, always get a vet’s opinion.
  3. Tell tale – When your dog is overweight, it tends to have a fold at the base of its tail (where the tail joins the body)
  4. Weighing it – Standard weight for most canines may not exactly always be the right number for your pet, if other factors are coming into play. It is, however, useful to be knowledgeable about the weight of your pets at any given time since it helps in tracking the decrease or increase at varying points in time. You can also check with a local vet for expert opinion on the weight of your pet.
  5. Rib tickling – Run your palm over the dog’s ribs—if you feel only the outline and not the ribs, your pet is most likely underweight. If you can’t feel the ribs at all, it’s most likely overweight.
  6. Waist line – A pet at the ideal weight has a narrow waist line (between the chest and hip). It could be easier to notice this when you are looking downwards from a standing position.
  7. Long haired – At times, fluffy dogs tend to look bigger than what they actually are. Closing your eyes, touch the dog to feel for the ribs, belly and the spine.
  8. Talk to a friend – At times, it could be difficult to look at your pet objectively. Speak to a friend and ask him/her to take a look at your pet. An expert opinion from a local vet can also help.
  9. Check at regular intervals – Check the body condition of your dog at regular monthly intervals so you know that the weight of the canine is within prescribed limits.
  10. Spine tingling – You may not expect to see spinal bones. But, you can feel along the back of your dog, and if you can appreciate the backbone outline, it indicates an ideal weight situation.

Share this post



← Older Post Newer Post →