Protecting your dog’s health is important to you, that’s why you attend your routine vet appointments for vaccinations and annual check-ups. But did you know that preventing your dog from becoming overweight is also a crucial part of keeping your pet healthy and reducing their risk of illness? With a rapidly growing number of overweight pet dogs, it is vital to address any concerns you have regarding your dog's weight.
It is not always easy to see what is going on underneath your dog’s fur, so you shouldn't feel guilty about missing signs of weight gain. But with more than half of all dogs now classified as overweight or obese, addressing this issue has become a top priority for improving canine health and wellbeing. Your pup only needs to be a few kilograms overweight to be at risk of developing health problems, but don’t despair as treating any weight gain promptly will help avoid negative impacts, ensuring your pet stays healthy and active.
Overweight dogs are at risk of developing:
Dogs carrying an extra 30% bodyweight, or more, are classified as obese, and alongside being at a greater risk of becoming unwell, studies have also shown that it may shorten your dog’s lifespan by nearly two years. However, it is never too late to get your dog’s weight back under control and you may also be surprised by their new lease of life.
When you are out with your dog you will meet overweight dogs regularly, so it is easy to consider them as normal. It is also increasingly common for people to incorrectly identify dogs as too thin when they are actually an ideal weight – so assessing your dog's weight may be challenging.
How to monitor your pet’s weight:
Weight varies so much between dogs, even within the same breed, and while regular weight checks are vital for enabling small weight changes to be identified, body condition scoring is a more valuable tool for evaluating your dog’s weight. This enables your pet's fat distribution to be assessed. It is specific for dogs and scored on a scale of 1 to 9, with a score of 4 or 5 being ideal and 6 or above being overweight. While it may sound daunting at first, with help from your vet, you will soon be able to monitor your pet’s weight at home. You can find more information about body condition scoring on the World Small Animal Veterinary Association website.
A dog with an ideal body condition (score of 4 or 5) will meet the following criteria:
It can be challenging to address your dog's weight - their pleading eyes and persistent begging can be hard to ignore! But help is waiting at your veterinary practice where they can give you all the support you need to get your pet back into shape. In fact, attending your vet’s weight loss clinic will make you more likely to succeed in reaching your pet’s target weight.
Tips for helping your dog lose weight:
Prevention is always better than a cure when dealing with obesity in dogs, so regular weight monitoring and body condition scoring can start as soon as you bring your dog home. You may feel overwhelmed by monitoring a puppy’s growth, so your vet may recommend using a puppy growth chart to help prevent obesity from an early age. Getting into good habits early will protect your dog against many health conditions, ensuring a long, active future for your dog.
We all know how easy it is to slip up with your dog’s diet, but rest assured that with regular weight monitoring throughout your dog’s life, you will identify any weight changes early before they cause any problems. Your vet can also help support you if your dog’s weight gets out of control, so never feel embarrassed to ask for help. In the long term, your dog will thank you for managing their weight, as it will enable them to lead a happy and healthy life.
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