Overweight dog — health risks and what to do

Recognise the signs

• Cannot easily feel ribs
• No visible waist
• Pot belly
• Reduced exercise tolerance
• Reluctance to exercise

First aid steps

1. Vet weight check and body condition score.
2. Bloods to rule out underlying disease.
3. Structured calorie-controlled plan.

Checking your dog's body condition at home

Run your hands over your dog's sides, back, tail base, and underside, then look at them from the side and from above.

• Ribs: in a healthy weight, you should feel them with light pressure, and the skin should move freely over them.
• Waist: should be visible from both the side and from above. If it isn't visible from either angle, that's a sign your dog may be overweight.
• Belly: should tuck up rather than sagging or bulging outward.
• Tail base: a build-up of fat here is an overweight sign — on a healthy dog there shouldn't be any.
• Spine and hips: you should be able to feel them under the skin but not see them.

Common causes

• Overfeeding, excess treats
• Reduced exercise
• Neutering without diet adjustment
• Underlying disease (rare — Cushing's, hypothyroidism)

What the vet will need to know

• Current weight, ideal weight
• Diet — brand, amount, treats
• Exercise routine
• Other conditions

Aftercare

• Calorie-controlled prescription diet often most effective.
• Regular weigh-ins (free at most vet nurses).
• Treat allowance worked into total calories.
• Increase exercise gradually.

Prevention

• Measure food, don't eyeball.
• Limit treats to 10% of daily calories.
• Adjust portions after neutering.
• Annual weight checks.

Breed-specific notes

• Easy weight gain: Labrador, Beagle, Cavalier, Pug, Dachshund.

Frequently asked questions

Related topics

• Managing arthritis in dogs
• Cushing's disease in dogs
• Diabetic emergency in dogs