Is My Dog Overweight?

‘Is my dog overweight?’ It is a common question that vets and pet nutritionists hear more frequently than ever. But unfortunately, an epidemic of weight-related health concerns exists beyond that of modern human society.

Dogs are more sensitive to the effects of weight gain, and overweight dogs are vulnerable to several serious health conditions. Fortunately, there are ways to check your dog’s risk of obesity by looking at breed-specific physiologic characteristics.

So, how can one tell if your dog is overweight? After all, many health conditions are only obvious to medical professionals. So, let’s delve deeper into the issue to get the full picture, find out why it matters, and how you can tell if your dog is overweight.

Why does it matter?

We know that humans have different body types. However, dogs are more homogenous regarding their ideal size and weight. Indeed, most mammals are subject to more serious repercussions than being overweight or underweight.

Different breeds have different ideal body types. However, within the same breed, there is less room for any deviation between what qualifies as a healthy weight and body size.

In other words, if your dalmatian has a strikingly different body shape from the breed standard, their health will almost certainly suffer. Furthermore, the ratio of fat a dog carries is exponentially more dangerous than the same amount in humans.

Large breeds

One may think that large breeds are less susceptible to obesity than smaller breeds. After all, the same amount of fat on a large breed makes up a smaller percentage of their total weight.

Unfortunately, this reason is flawed in one major way. The larger a dog, the more sensitive their body is to the pressure of carrying any extra weight. That is because their baseline weight already impacts their joints more than that of medium and toy breeds.

In addition to the common health concerns associated with obesity, large breeds are more like to suffer joint diseases like dysplasias and arthritis. Additionally, obesity in large breeds may strongly correlate with heart disease.

Medium and small breeds

Medium-sized and small breeds make up a larger percentage of the number of dogs suffering from obesity. There is more variation in these breeds as to what defines obesity.

That can make it a little trickier to identify the body shape indicating obesity. As a rule, one should consider any noticeable deviation from the breed standard as a potential weight problem.

Because it is more difficult to effectively diagnose most medium-sized and small breeds with obesity, one should consult a vet or pet nutritionist.

Toy breeds

Toy breeds have a small advantage over other breeds because the extra weight has a slightly lower risk of impacting their joints. But unfortunately, they are more susceptible to other health issues associated with obesity.

Small dogs have a relatively small amount of extra body fat to qualify as obese. Naturally, in contrast to large breeds, a little fat constitutes a much greater percentage of their total body weight.

The primary health risks associated with canine obesity

So, we know that overweight dogs are at a higher risk for health problems. However, we have yet to discuss the types of conditions and the severity of each. We must recognise that any additional weight increases the risks of disease.

There is a spectrum of how weight-related health issues increase the risk of weight-related disease. Unfortunately, there is no point at which a healthy dog suddenly becomes obese, and one must recognise the risk of even the most minor weight gain.

Most common health risks:

  • Cancer

  • Diabetes mellitus

  • Heart disease

  • Hypertension

  • Osteoarthritis and faster degeneration of affected joints

  • Urinary bladder stones

  • Anaesthetic complications

Obesity, cancer, and diabetes

There is a strong connection between obesity, diabetes, and inflammation. Obesity increases the risk of a dog developing most types of cancer. The most prominently associated forms are malignant mast cell cancer and mammary tumours.

But why do we see this correlation between obesity and cancer?

The primary candidate for the cause of weight-related cancer is inflammation. Inflammation plays a large role in the formation of many types of cancer.

Theoretically, areas of the body affected by chronic inflammation create the perfect conditions for forming cancer cells. That can happen regardless of the comorbidity of obesity or diabetes, but both aggravate inflammation.

Obesity and heart disease

Interestingly, obesity does not cause coronary artery disease in dogs. That is fascinating because it is a primary concern in humans. That said, there is another, less obvious way that obesity impacts a dog’s heart.

An important aspect of heart health gets far less exposure than it should. That aspect is heart rate variability or HRV. In a nutshell, HRV indicates the amount of stress a heart can handle.

The higher the HRV, the better. Obesity lowers the HRV of both dogs and humans. Unfortunately, when a dog’s HRV gets lowered, so is the amount of stress and strain their heart can manage without potentially serious repercussions.

More importantly, a dog’s HRV strongly indicates current and future health. HRV, in effect, impacts and indicates a dog’s lifespan and general health.

Low HRV is associated with conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. That means these comorbidities increase the risk of poor HRV when suffering from obesity.

Obesity and hypertension

Hypertension is, in the simplest terms, high blood pressure. Many people believe obesity is a direct cause of hypertension in dogs. But, interestingly, that is not the case.

The relationship between obesity and hypertension in dogs is far more fascinating. So put, hypertension does not occur because a dog is obese. Instead, the comorbidities commonly associated with obesity have a likelihood of causing hypertension.

The ramifications of hypertension are often serious.

Hypertension can lead to the following:

  • Heart attacks

  • Strokes

  • Aneurysms

  • Heart failure

  • Kidney problems

  • Eye problems

  • Metabolic syndromes

  • Changes in memory or understanding

  • Dementia

Obesity and osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. In addition, a statistical correlation between osteoarthritis and obesity may exist. It is a condition whereby the cartilage in a joint breaks down, allowing the joint bones to make contact and deform.

The correlation between obesity and osteoarthritis is more obvious than many of the other risks listed here. Applying more weight to a joint increases the cartilage strain and decay rate.

While most forms of osteoarthritis are manageable for prolonged periods in humans, osteoarthritis impacts a dog’s quality of life more severely. Many dogs with osteoarthritis suffer such intense pain and joint deformation that euthanasia is often the kindest option.

Obesity and urinary bladder stones

The link between obesity and urinary bladder stones is largely a matter of chemistry. Weight gain impacts urinary pH levels. The knock-on effect is that this leads to a decrease in calcium phosphate production.

The impact of decreased phosphate production allows the formation of more calcium oxalate stones. We refer to these as urinary bladder stones, and passing these ‘stones’ is described as excruciatingly painful.

Obesity and anaesthetic complications

There are many operations where anaesthesia is necessary. These medical procedures are often those that address life-threatening health conditions. Unfortunately, obesity turns anaesthetic into a health risk unto itself.

Several serious potential ramifications make anaesthesia so dangerous for obese dogs. Some examples include difficulty regulating body temperature, respiratory failure, arrhythmias, and sleep apnea syndrome.

How can I tell if my dog is overweight?

For the most part, an overweight dog is easy to identify. The general rule is that dogs should have a slight dip right under and aside from their ribcage when viewed from above.

Furthermore, dogs’ bellies should not line up with– or pass lower than their ribcage when viewed from the side.

The degree to which these characteristics should be present varies greatly from one breed to the next. To identify your dog’s ideal shape, head to the official AKC website and search for the appropriate breed standard guidelines.

An easy way to confirm whether your dog is obese is by weighing them, measuring their height and length, and comparing this information with charts that describe the average size and weight of the breed.

If these observations suggest that your dog might be overweight, it is time to visit a trusted vet.

How can I help my dog lose weight?

Exercise

Exercise and a healthy diet are key in managing a dog’s weight. Naturally, exercise depends on your dog’s level of fitness. Remember to start at a pace your dog can keep up with, allowing for a gradual increase in the duration and intensity of exercise.

Diet

Planning the perfect diet is more of a challenge. Dogs have preferences; like humans, they won’t eat something dull and flavourless. That makes striking the right nutritional balance even more challenging.

The best way to find the ideal diet to help your dog lose weight is by contacting nutrition specialists. They can guide you in selecting your pup’s best possible diet plan.

It is crucial because a bad diet could worsen your dog’s weight problem. But, more importantly, a diet that is not nutritionally balanced can lead to new health concerns.

Final word

As pet parents, we want the best for our dogs. Unfortunately, it is not always clear what that means, and the temptation to spoil our pups is often overwhelming. Unfortunately, to ensure our dogs lead long, happy lives, we must ensure that they are at the breed-appropriate weight.