White Oaks West Animal Hospital

Is Your Pet the Proper Weight?

Over 25% of dogs and cats seen by veterinarians are overweight to obese. Many disease conditions result from, or are exacerbated by obesity. Therefore, weight control should be taken very seriously. Keeping your pet at an optimal weight can prevent the occurrence of other serious conditions. Diabetic, orthopedic (hip dysplasia and arthritis), chronic coughing, heart murmur and/or neurologic (back or disc) patients would benefit greatly from weight loss. A veterinary study of heart disease patients found an average 2 year longer life expectancy in pets of normal weight vs over-weight. 2 YEARS!!

Prevention is truly the best medicine. The best thing you can do for your pet is to prevent him or her from getting overweight. You can prevent obesity by not offering people food, limiting treats, monitoring your pet's body condition (see below), adjusting his or her food accordingly as they age, and making sure your pet gets enough exercise.

If your pet's size is over- or underweight (see body condition charts below), please consult your veterinarian about a plan to get back on track.

Overweight pets can benefit from the following WEIGHT LOSS TOOLS.

Puppy Body Condition Chart

Dog Body Condition Chart

Cat Body Condition Chart

UNDERWEIGHT

The German Shepherd to the left has a body condition score of 1. He is emaciated and lacks any remaining muscle mass (note the bony protrusions of ribs, backbone and hips).

The cat pictured to the right has a body condition score of 2. She is too thin despite eating a lot. She was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, a disease that causes an overactive metabolic rate.