How to tell if your dog is overweight?
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Key Summary
- Body condition scoring (BCS) is the best way to understand if your dog is overweight
- Being overweight can reduce your pet’s lifespan
- The right amount of a good quality diet is essential for weight management
Table of contents
How do you know if your dog is overweight?
“Is my dog overweight?” Is a common question, and the best the best way of working this out is by body scoring them - more on this later! By placing your hands on your dog and observing their body shape, it is possible to work out if they are healthy or not.
The Kennel Club also supports this - stating “Dogs come in all shapes and sizes. It’s very difficult to work out a perfect weight for every type of dog, so putting them on the scales isn’t always the best way to see if they are overweight. A better way is to check their shape or the contours of their profile".
Signs That Your Dog is Overweight
These signs might indicate that your dog is overweight:
- A layer of fat covering your dog’s ribs, making them tricky to feel
- Loss of abdominal tuck – a healthy dog has a tucked-up abdomen when viewed from the side
- Loss of a defined waist – a healthy dog viewed from above will have a waist that nips in behind their rib cage
- Excessive panting or breathing difficulties
- Becoming more lethargic or slower on walks
- Accessories like collars and harnesses becoming tighter
What is Body Conditioning Score (BCS)?
Body condition scoring is a tool described by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) that vets use when assessing your dog’s weight. This is much more accurate than using breed weight averages because there is so much variation in the height and build of different dogs, even within the same breed. Averages are also not helpful if you have a crossbreed dog.
A BCS between 0 and 9 is assigned to your dog, based on physical features. A healthy dog should be a 4 or a 5 with easily felt ribs (minimal fat covering), an easily seen waist when viewed from above, and the presence of an abdominal tuck.
Owners can perform body condition scoring themselves at home using the WSAVA’s chart, or by speaking to their veterinary team for guidance.
Overweight Dog Health Risks
There are many health problems associated with your dog being overweight including:
- Increased risk of diabetes mellitus
- Extra pressure on joints leading to (or worsening existing) joint disease
- Increased risk of cancer
- Additional strain on the heart and lungs
- Worsening of breathing issues, especially noticeable in brachycephalic dogs
- Muscle wastage due to lethargy and reduced exercise tolerance
Studies show that being overweight could significantly reduce your dog’s lifespan.
How to Help Your Dog Lose Weight? Preventing Dog Obesity
Diet/feeding plan
Make a plan involving the whole household so that everyone knows when and how much your dog should be receiving. Dogs feel more satisfied if their daily rations are split into two or three smaller meals.
Lean meats and increased fibre
The best dog food for overweight dogs is made from lean meat sources and contains increased fibre to help pets feel fuller and more satisfied.
Portion size
Making sure that your dog’s food is accurately measured out will be key to any weight loss dog food, as well as preventing obesity in the first place. Not sure how much to feed your dog? Check out this blog for guidance.
Enrichment treats & chews
Providing your dog with occasional good quality natural treats and enrichment alongside their diet is important for both you and your pet. Just make sure that these are accounted for and that you don’t sneak them any extras.
Increasing exercise
Increasing your dog’s exercise can help, but this must be done gradually and with veterinary guidance if your dog has health issues. Exercise plays an important part in weight loss but remember the saying ‘you can never outrun a bad diet’.
Don’t feed scraps from the table
This is a big no no! Tiny bits of cheese, ham or toast crusts really add up, increasing daily calorie intakes.
Weigh and BCS your dog regularly
Make sure you weigh your dog regularly to track changes and keep reassessing their BCS to see if you are making a difference. Speak to your vet for advice on weight loss goals.
Summary
Keeping your dog at a healthy body weight is important. Get into the habit of regularly body condition scoring your dog, alongside weighing them on the scales. Your veterinary team will be happy to advise you further.
At Years, we are also here to help. Each Years meal is pre-portioned and tailored to your dog’s weight, age and other nutritional requirements. We are also particularly conscious about breeds that are prone to obesity such as Labradors and Dachshunds. If you have any questions for the team, please don’t hesitate to get in contact.
FAQs
Can dogs get diabetes from being overweight?
Dogs that are overweight are at a higher risk of developing diabetes. Diabetics are unable to control their blood sugar levels, needing insulin injections and regular veterinary checks.
My dog is overweight but doesn’t eat much?
Check that no visitors or family members are sneaking your dog table scraps and make sure you’re feeding the right amount of food for your pet’s ideal body weight. Some health conditions such as hypothyroidism can cause weight gain, so speak to your vet if you are concerned.
Do overweight dogs breathe faster?
Overweight dogs may breathe faster than other dogs. This is because extra body fat is putting more pressure on the heart and airways making it harder work to get oxygen around their bodies.
About the author
Dr. Becky
Rebecca MacMillan – BVetMed BSAVA PGCertSAM MRCVS
Rebecca is a companion animal vet who graduated from the Royal Veterinary college in 2009. Since then, she has gained a wealth of experience in first opinion small animal practice, in both clinical and managerial roles. She currently works in the South West and deals with a variety of routine and emergency appointments, but particularly enjoys medicine cases. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, including her bouncy flat coated retriever, George!
