29/10/2021
How to identify ......your dog is underweight, overweight or having ideal weight
Your dog is not getting enough to eat if you can
easily see its ribs, vertebrae, and pelvic bones, feel
no fat on the bones, and possibly notice some loss
of muscle mass. If chronically underfed, adult dogs
may experience impaired ability to nurse young and
perform work, and increased susceptibility to bac-
terial infections and parasites; puppies may be
stunted in their growth; adult dogs may develop
osteoporosis.
Your dog is at an ideal weight if you can easily feel
its ribs. The waist should be easily observed behind
the ribs when viewed from above. An abdominal
tuck is evident when viewed from the side.
Your dog is overweight if you cannot feel its ribs,
see fat deposits over its back and the base of its tail,
discern no waist behind the ribs when viewed from
above, and see no abdominal tuck in profile.
Obesity occurs in one out of four dogs in western
societies. Its incidence increases with age and is more
common in neutered animals. Health risks include dia-
betes and osteoarthritis.
