Signs your dog is overweight

It is not just humans who need to maintain a healthy weight with a balanced diet and plenty of exercise, dogs do to. An overweight dog can experience joint problems, lack of energy, diabetes, arthritis and cancer, so it is important you keep an eye on their weight.

 

If you are a little concerned about your pet, here are five signs and symptoms to look out for:

 

You can’t feel his rib cage

While you don’t necessarily want to be able to see their ribs, you should be able to feel them as you run your hand gently over their rib cage.

 

Their neck is wider than the base of their head

You should be able to see your dog’s neck and where it meets the head. If you can’t or if it seems wider than the head, you know you have a problem.

 

There is no curved indentation behind the rib cage

There should be a slight curve just after your animal’s rib cage, and before their back legs. It shouldn’t look saggy or be in a straight line.

 

Their waist has a pear-like shape

If your dog appears to have a pear-like shape when you look down on them from a height they may be suffering from excessive weight.

 

They have extra padding just above their tail

Look out for extra padding or folds of skin just above the tail. Your dog should only have a thin layer of fat here.