A lot of us have a skewed idea of what our dog’s body should look like. We’ve become accustomed to overweight dogs and, as such, think what’s really overweight is normal. You may have heard your veterinarian or canine rehab therapist refer to your dog’s body condition score, but what does it mean and why does it matter? Your dog’s ideal body condition (bar a few select breeds) is one where their ribs are not visible but easily felt with little to no fat covering and their waist tucks like an hourglass in front of their hips. On the numbered scale, this would be a 5 out of 9. And each number above 5 represents roughly 10% of their current body weight. So if your dog weighs 85lbs and is scored an 8/9, that means he is about 30% or 25.5lbs overweight.
So what’s the big deal with a little extra “fluff”? Fat tissue, while previously thought to be relatively inactive, actually excretes inflammatory hormones and stress on the body’s tissues. This contributes to a number of different illnesses. Like in humans, obesity can create greater risk for diabetes, cancer, hypertension, heart disease, and complications with anesthesia.
Overweight and obese dogs are also more likely to develop osteoarthritis and faster degeneration of joints, leading to pain and decreased function from the excess inflammation. In addition, fat cells can infiltrate muscles, impairing movement of the muscles and reducing their contractile strength. This, in turn, can lead to increased risk of muscle strain or injury. Greater weight on the musculoskeletal system also causes undue stress and, by pure mechanical force, can increase risk of fractures and ligament tears. Obesity can even reduce your dog’s overall lifespan by a year or two.
Unfortunately it’s a bit of a cycle–a dog who is overweight or obese is often more uncomfortable and/or has lower energy for activity. As a result, they do less and burn fewer calories, making them more likely to stay overweight. That’s why diet modification and exercise are used as a two-fold approach. When your dog needs to lose weight, there’s a safe rate at which it should be done. Dogs should slim down about 1-2% of their body weight each week. Anything more rapid may mean your dog isn’t getting the necessary nutrients.
If you want to help your dog live a long and healthy life and think they could use some slimming down, feel free to reach out to us at Canine PT and Me for help!