Focus on chubby dogs
Focus on fat dogs
Overweight dogs are more likely to develop serious painful diseases like joint problems as well as being more prone to other diseases like diabetes, infections or skin diseases.
Maintaining normal body weight starts with puppies: Do not over-feed them, and make sure they get the right amount of exercise (when it comes to proper bone development, too much exercise can also be harmful)
To determine if your dog is overweight, check if there are rolls of fat around the rib cage. Weight loss alone helps to improve lameness in obese dogs with osteoarthritis. However, be aware that just like with humans, losing too much weight too fast can be dangerous. Your vet will be able to advise you on the safest way for your dog to lose weight. A chart is available to check whether your dog is overweight.
Canine dietary guidelines – A few tips to prevent dog obesity:
- Offer food only at mealtimes
- Resist giving treats, give low calorie foods instead
In addition to diet, exercise is also an important way of keeping your dog in shape.
Pets and exercise – A few tips:
- Take your dog for walks (short walks if your dog is overweight),
- Jogging or running if the temperature is appropriate
- Encourage your dog to swim (swimming is a low impact exercise that promotes joint movement without aggravating joint pain).
Your vet will help you to develop an appropriate diet and exercise plan for your dog.
Canine Weight Scale (content)
Evaluating your dog's weight (chart from Ralston Purina*) –
A scale running from 1 to 9 has been developed to evaluate whether dogs are underweight or overweight. One (1) means that the dog is an emaciated animal and 9 that the dog is grossly obese.
Several criteria are used to determine the place on the scale:
- How easy the ribs are to feel
- How obvious the waist and abdominal tuck are
- How much excess fat is under the skin
- How much muscle mass is present
1. EMACIATED
Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all bony prominences evident from a distance. No discernable body fat. Obvious loss of muscle mass.
2. VERY THIN
Ribs, lumbar vertebrae and pelvic bones easily visible. No palpable fat. Some evidence of other bony prominence. Minimal loss of muscle mass
3. THIN
Ribs easily palpated and may be visible with no palpable fat. Tops of lumbar vertebrae visible. Pelvic bones becoming prominent. Obvious waist and abdominal tuck.
4. UNDERWEIGHT
Ribs easily palpable, with minimal fat covering. Waist easily noted, viewed from above. Abdominal tuck evident.
5. IDEAL
Ribs palpable without excess fat covering. Waist observed behind ribs when viewed from above. Abdomen tucked when viewed from the side.
6. OVERWEIGHT
Ribs palpable with slight excess fat covering. Waist is discernable viewed from above but is not prominent. Abdominal tuck apparent.
7. HEAVY
Ribs palpable with difficulty, heavy fat cover. Noticeable fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent or barely visible. Abdominal tuck may be absent.
8. OBESE
Ribs not palpable under heavy fat cover, or palpable only with significant pressure. Heavy fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent. No abdominal tuck. Obvious abdominal distension may be present.
9. GROSSLY OBESE
Massive fat deposits over thorax, spine and base of tail. Waist and abdominal tuck absent. Fat deposits on neck and limbs. Obvious abdominal distension.
*PURINA study, conducted over fourteen years involving 48 Labrador retrievers: Richard D Kealy PhD et al., Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 220, 2002
