Do you stare at your dog or cat and wonder if they are in good or poor health? Do you fear that your pet may be overweight/underweight for their breed and age? Do you wish there was a way to know? Lucky for you, there is! However, the way goes beyond a simple scale reading.
While the number on the scale is a good baseline indication of your pet’s health, one number doesn’t mean everything. In addition to your pet’s weight, veterinarians use Body Condition Scoring (BCS) to determine if your furry friend is carrying around a few too many or few too little pounds.
Here are some indications of your pet’s condition:
Too Skinny
- Ribs, spine, and hip bones visible and easily felt
- Noticeable lack of muscle mass
- Defined waist with a sharp contour from the ribs to the hips
- Exhibit low energy levels
Too Fat
- Ribs, spine, and hip bones are hard to see and feel under a layer of fat
- Waist is not defined, and body shape is very round
- Fat deposits are visible around the neck, tail, hips, and abdomen
- Low energy levels and appears winded easily
Perfect Condition
- Ribs, spine, and hip bones can be felt but are not overly visible
- Waistline is clearly visible
- Proportionate body shape
- Healthy energy levels and interest in exercise and play
Now that you know how to assess the physical condition of your pet, let’s delve into why it is important to keep your pet at a healthy weight.
Extended Life Span
First and foremost, all pet owners should want their pets to be happy and healthy to prolong the lifespans of their furry friends. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, dogs who maintain a healthy weight can live upwards of two years longer than obese dogs. That’s two more years of tail wags, cuddles, and unconditional love!
Additionally, the risk of a whole laundry list of maladies/complications increases when your pet is overweight, including:
- Joint injuries
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Breathing problems
- Decreased stamina
- Heat intolerance
- Back problems
- Kidney diseases
- Some forms of cancer
If the emotional appeal and intimidating list didn’t convince you, the expensive cost of owning an unhealthy pet may do the trick.
Healthy Pets Save You Money
In a 2017 study conducted by the Banfield Pet Hospital and approved by the American Heart Association, owners of overweight/obese dogs spent approximately 17% more on health care and 25% more on medications than dogs of a healthy weight. The same goes for cats with 36% more money being spent on diagnostic procedures for unhealthy cats compared to owners of healthier felines.
Better Quality of Life
Lastly, we must think about the quality of life for our pets when understanding the importance of keeping your pet at a healthy weight. It’s always hard to see our once-vibrant, agile, and energetic companion animals start to decline in health, and physical unfitness only accelerates the decline.
Mobility Difficulty
Severely overweight and underweight pets can struggle to move and play in a manner that is seen with their healthy counterparts, and our pets can become irritated and disinterested with physical activity because of the little mobility that their bodies allow them.
It is the responsibility of us pet parents to ensure our beloved animals maintain a proper fitness level so that they can engage in natural behaviors expected from non-geriatric dogs without pain, such as running, jumping, standing, and stretching. As one can see, monitoring your pet’s BCS and understanding the importance of keeping your pet at a healthy weight are basics that every owner should be aware of.
Monitor Your Dog’s BCS
Understand that Body Condition Score is not a one-size-fits-all and that weight goals depend on the dog’s age and breed. Also, realize that maintaining your pet’s weight is an everyday task and that one must be consistent when inculcating valid eating and exercise behaviors in any domesticated animal.
Additional Tips
Some basic tips for keeping your pet at a healthy weight are to avoid handing out “human” food, taking regular visits to the veterinarian for an expert opinion, scrutinizing pet food labels in search of nutritional information that more closely aligns with your pet’s needs, and engaging in fun, physical activities that you and your pet can accomplish together (such as hiking, playing at the park, and swimming).
For a quality scale that assesses the weight, Body Fat Percentage, and Body Condition Score of your pet, check out the Mella Pet Care Biggie Pro Body Scale! Mella also has the Biggie Home Scale as an alternative for those who just want to monitor their pet’s weight.