Is poor Fido putting on too much flab? Here are five (5) vital warning signs that will help determine whether your dog is overweight!
1. Your dog has digestive problems and constipation
If your dog is having regular problems defecating and struggling with repeated bouts of constipation, obesity could be a major factor.
2. Can you feel your dog’s ribs?
Touch your dog’s chest. Are you able to feel not only the ribs, but clearly discern the spaces between them? If you’re having to feel around, or apply pressure before making contact with a rib bone, your dog may be overweight.
3. Your dog is moving gingerly
Obese dogs may move gingerly or assume resting positions with effort. Obesity in dogs is a contributing factor to bone and joint problems such as arthritis or hip dysplasia.
4. You dog has difficulty breathing and limited stamina
Dogs who are having consistent trouble breathing, or dogs who become tired quickly and after very little physical exertion, may be obese. Excessive panting is a related sign, one that indicates that your dog is having difficulty getting fresh, oxygenated blood to his vital systems.
5. Your dog as a blocky body shape
Look at pictures of dogs in profile. Regardless of breed, you’ll notice a distinct upward slope from the base of the ribcage to the hips. The degree of that slope varies, but is usually noticeable. A blocky, endomorphic dog with no difference in girth from ribs to hips is likely to be dangerously overweight.
For more information go to Dogster. There you will learn more about these five examples and get a general idea, through photos, what a fat pup really looks like!
Again, as fur parents we tend to over-look our pleasantly plump pooches but, for health reasons, we really need to pay more attention. Even an extra thirty-minute walk during the day can make all the difference in the world!
