“Is my pet overweight”

Do you often wonder how you can determine if your pet is at a healthy weight? Although chubby pets are adorable, they are more in danger of many health problems and increased difficulty getting around.

We use a Body Condition Score to assess your dog and cat’s weight. Looking at the chart you can use this at home.

For dogs we want ribs to be easily felt but not easily seen. When you look at your dog from the side you should see their waist tuck up and from above you should see a tuck in as well.

For cats we also want their ribs to be easily felt but not seen. We want to be able to observe their waist tucking from above and they should have a minimal abdominal fat pad.

If you’re having concerns about your pet’s weight, we offer nutrition counseling as well as bloodwork to check for endocrine disease.

Good ways to start your pet’s weight loss journey include limiting treats, increasing exercise, and switching to a weight loss management diet that is higher in fiber and lower in fat with less calories per cup.