How to Tell if Your Pet Is Overweight

Laurie Anne Walden, DVM

​According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, up to 54% of dogs and 59% of cats in the United States are overweight. That’s more than 40 million dogs and 50 million cats. Is your pet one of them?
 
Obesity has been linked to arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, immune system disorders, liver disease, and other health problems in pets. In recognition of National Pet Obesity Awareness Day (October 11), here’s how to tell if your pet is overweight.

• Look down at your pet from above. Is your pet shaped like an hourglass or an oval? Dogs and cats of ideal weight have a visible waist just behind the ribs.
• Look at your pet from the side. Dogs in the target weight range have a tucked-up abdomen. Cats of ideal weight do not have a pad of belly fat hanging down.
• Run your hands along your pet’s sides. With dogs and cats of ideal weight, you can feel the ribs but not necessarily see the rib outlines.
• Look at the spine and hips. In dogs and cats with good muscle mass, you usually can’t see the tops of the vertebrae in the lower back (near the pelvis), and the hip bones are covered by muscle. These bones may be prominent in underweight pets or those with medical conditions that cause muscle loss.
• Keep breed differences in mind. Normal for a greyhound is not the same as normal for a Rottweiler.

 
Body condition scoring
Body condition scoring assigns a number to a pet’s condition to make it easier to track changes over time. Body condition score charts typically use either a 5-point or a 9-point scale. The ideal body condition score is 3 on a 5-point scale or 5 on a 9-point scale. Check out one of these body condition charts to see where your pet falls on the scale:

• Pet Obesity Prevention website: https://petobesityprevention.org/pet-weight-check/
• American Animal Hospital Association (PDF download): https://www.aaha.org/public_documents/professional/guidelines/weightmgmt_bodyconditionscoring.pdf

 
Medical problems
Always bring your pet in for a physical examination before reducing its calorie intake or starting an exercise program. Some medical problems can cause weight gain. Pets with these conditions might need to go on a diet, but they also need treatment:

• Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone level)
• Hyperadrenocorticism (high adrenal hormone level, also called Cushing disease)
• Arthritis that is causing reduced activity

 
Other medical conditions can mimic obesity. A pet with one of these conditions might have a big belly but actually be thin overall, and restricting its food could be harmful:

• Intestinal parasites like hookworms and roundworms
• Heartworms
• Pregnancy
• Heart disease
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease
• Malnutrition
• Feline infectious peritonitis
• Cancer

 
We’re happy to discuss your pet’s weight with you and suggest a diet and exercise plan for your pet that will work for your family. (Telling you “no table food EVER” is not very helpful if you have a toddler in the food-throwing stage). And remember: your pet’s weight is not a reflection of your own health or of how much you love your pet. If we tell you your pet needs to lose weight, it’s only because we want your pet to live a long life and be as healthy as possible.
 
For more information
Association for Pet Obesity Prevention website
Obesity (dog): American Animal Hospital Association website
Obesity: The Cat Community website
 
October 13, 2017
Photo by Almi

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