Weight

How can you tell if your dog or cat is the right weight? Both dogs and cats have the same basic guidelines but there are exceptions. For most dogs and cats you should be able to feel but not see their ribs. They should have a tummy tuck when viewed from the side, and when viewed from above their sides should tuck in between their last rib and hips. Depending on breed, you may or may not be able to see the dog's spine and hips.

This chart is a great guideline but it's a guideline and your pet's breed and structure need to be taken into account. Some breeds will not adhere to this and their healthy weight may be seen by this chart as being overweight or underweight.

Click to enlarge

For most pets it's easy enough to tell but it can be problematic for pets with longer fur or very thick fur as you would never be able to see their ribs even if they were emaciated skeletons, and judging how much of a tummy tuck and how much their sides tuck in can also be challenging. When you feel their ribs through all the fur you should be able to feel the space between the ribs but they should not be prominent for most breeds. Often the easiest way is to check while giving your dog or cat a bath. With their fur soaked and flattened down you're better able to see their shape. Here is a great example of how different a fluffy dog can look when wet.

www.linein.org

My own dog, Denali, is a Siberian husky and her thick fur hides her ribs. When she's wet I can make sure she's not too thin or too filled out.

A nice tummy tuck, and no ribs visible.

Her sides tuck in between her rib cage and hips.

For cats, many have loose skin on their belly that hangs down. This is ok if it is mostly loose skin and is not firm and full of fat. My cat Zebulon has a pooch that is a little fatty, but is mostly just loose skin. It is not firm. You can tell that he is slightly overweight though.

There are big exceptions for some breeds, notably sight hounds. A sight hound, such as a greyhound, afghan hound, or saluki, are built in such a way that it is normal for their skeletal structure to be a bit more visible. They are meant to be lightweight dogs, fast as lightning, for surviving in harsher climates and hunting extremely fast game such as gazelle. They have very deep chests which often makes their ribs more prominent. Their spine and hips may also be visible. This is not an excuse to have an emaciated dog and each dog will vary. There is a clear difference between a sighthound at an appropriate weight that has a more visible structure, and one that is emaciated and unhealthy.

This dog, an Azawakh, shows how the hips and ribs are often prominent on a sight hound.
This dog could gain a few lbs but it is not unhealthy or at risk at this lower weight.
If a dog such as a Labrador was this thin it would be quite alarming.

Racing greyhound, also showing ribs.

Even sighthounds have their limits. This dog, a Saluki, is emaciated.

For some dogs a heavier build is encouraged especially in the show ring. Labrador Retrievers come to mind. I have heard of labs who, after their show career, lose as much as 20 to 25 lbs.

GCH CH Casbar’s Hart to Hart

Ironic as the dogs often preferred for retrieving and doing the job they were bred for, the "field" variety, tend to be kept much lighter. That's not to say the "show" labs couldn't do it, though this gets us into the health concerns with heavier dogs such as hip dysplasia- and the whole fiasco of breeding dogs who are less able to perform their original function due to breeding exaggerated features, but that's a rant for another day.

http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot.com

As with people there are numerous health concerns for overweight pets. It strains their joints, ligaments, bones, and heart. They can get diabetes, arthritis, and hip dysplasia. Dogs with long back like dachshunds and basset hounds can get slipped discs in their backs. Heart disease, high blood pressure, trouble breathing especially when it's hot, decreased liver and immune function, and decreased quality of life and lifespan are all common in overweight and obese pets among other concerns. Likewise, being too skinny can also have serious and severe consequences. We are surrounded by overweight pets and can become desensitized to it, making us think a dog or cat at a proper weight is too thin. Your dog should not look like a sausage with legs and a head. They should have tummy tucks and side tucks, and you should be able to feel their ribs without having to dig for them.

There are many things you can do to keep your pet at a healthy weight, and get them to a healthy weight if they are too heavy or too thin.
-Feed a high quality food.
-Measure their food. Use a measuring cup or weigh their food if they are raw fed, and don't free feed (have food available 24/7). Portion control is one of the most important factors in keeping your pet at a healthy weight. Different foods have different feeding guidelines. For example, my foster dog being fed a low quality corn based food needed 6+ cups a day, but on a high quality food needs just over 2 cups a day. Look at the guideline on the package and adjust as needed.
-Consider the impact of treats, edible chewtoys, and handouts. Treats are often high calorie and with a new dog or when working on new behaviors you may be going through a lot of treats. Use the dog's kibble as treats when you're giving lots of treats, or cut back on their regular food if necessary.
-Exercise! Have your dog play fetch, tug, teach it to jog with you or run with you while you bike, get involved in a sport like flyball, agility, disc dog, dock diving, free style, weight pulling, etc. For cats, play with them. Have them chase and play with feathers, laser pointers, balls, and other toys. Take it easy when exercising an overweight or underweight pet. Start slow, don't have them exercise in the heat, and keep sessions short. As with people, your pet needs to gradually get used to a workout routine and they can injure themselves or push themselves too far.
-Consider your pet may have a medical condition. Their thyroid gland may be affecting their weight. Diabetes or other conditions may be having an effect as well.

Be very careful when having a cat lose weight. As cats process the excess fat stored in their body it can potentially overwhelm their liver. This leads to a potentially fatal form of liver disease called hepatic lipidosis.

If your pet is rapidly gaining or losing weight take it to the vet as soon as possible.

It's a good idea to consult a vet about having your pet on a diet to gain or lose weight before making any changes, but don't buy in to any silly prescription diets. Healthy pets need healthy food!