Obesity: Is your pet overweight?

The best way to find out if your pet is overweight or obese is to use a technique called condition scoring. This is more accurate than simply weighing as it takes into account differences in size and stature. Condition scoring involves looking at several key areas of your pet’s body to see whether or not they are overweight, underweight or spot on, and it’s really easy to do.

Run you hands over your dog or cat’s ribs to see how easy it is to feel them under the skin. Then take a look at their waist – or lack of – and their abdomen. Compare your findings with the following five point scale to give you a good idea of your pet’s condition:

1. Emaciated:It is easy to see your dog’s ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all body prominences from a distance. There is no obvious body fat and clear evidence of muscle wastage.
   
   
2. Thin: Whilst you cannot easily see the ribs and the pelvic bones are not obviously prominent from a distance, your dog’s ribs are easily felt with no palpable fat. The tops of lumbar vertebrae are visible and there is an obvious abdominal tuck behind the ribs, as well as a clear waist when viewed from above.
   
   
3. Normal: A normal dog should have a distinct but not excessive covering of fat over the chest, through which the ribs are easily palpable. The abdomen tucked up when viewed from side, and there is a visible but not extensive waist when viewed from above. The pelvis and other bony prominences are well covered and not clearly visible.
   
   
4. Overweight: A dog that is overweight will generally be carrying up to 20% extra weight compared to a normal dog, and this is generally laid down around the chest and abdomen, making it hard to feel the ribs, and giving the abdomen a full appearance, with little or no abdominal tuck. There is also very little or no waist visible from above, and there may also be obvious fatty deposits in the lumbar region and around the base of the tail. 
   
   
5. Obese: Dogs carrying more than 20% extra weight are classified as obese and these dogs will have large fat deposits over their chest, neck, spine and tail base. They have no waist or abdominal tuck behind the ribs, and their abdomens often appear distended. As well as appearing clearly overweight, their movement will also be affected by their weight, giving them a shortened stride and splayed leg appearance as their legs are forced outwards by fatty deposits.