Is Your Pet a Healthy Weight?

Veterinary body-condition scoring uses three cues: you should be able to feel ribs easily with light fat covering, you should see a visible waist behind the ribs when looking down from above, and you should see a tucked-up abdomen from the side. If you cannot feel the ribs without pressing, or there is no visible waist or tuck, the pet is likely above the ideal range. This is general information; your vet can confirm body condition during any visit.

On the standard 1-9 body-condition score (BCS) used by veterinary teams, a 4-5 is considered ideal for most dogs and cats: ribs felt easily with light fat covering, visible waist, and abdominal tuck. A 6-7 is overweight, 8-9 is obese, 3 or below is underweight. Your vet records the BCS at routine visits; ask if you have not seen yours.

The most common reasons are overfeeding (especially treats and table food underestimated in daily totals), reduced activity, and aging. Less common but important causes include hypothyroidism in dogs, certain medications, and recent surgery limiting activity. Persistent unexplained weight changes warrant a vet conversation to rule out medical contributors. This is general information, not veterinary advice.

Vet-guided weight loss is the standard approach: your vet sets a target body-condition score, recommends a measured-meal portion (often with a weight-management food), and reviews progress monthly. DIY rapid weight loss can be dangerous, especially for cats (where it can trigger hepatic lipidosis). Counting treats and human food, increasing age-appropriate activity, and patience are the active ingredients.

Be precise on the portions question specifically. Association for Pet Obesity Prevention surveys find that most owners who describe their pet as a healthy weight are underreporting treats and table food, which can account for 10-25% of daily caloric intake without being counted. The rib-feel and waist-visibility questions are more objective, but if you are guessing on portions, score toward more than you think rather than less. A score that underestimates body condition will route you toward monitoring when your vet would recommend an active weight-management plan.

Dry food is convenient, shelf-stable, and supports dental wear; wet food is more palatable, more hydrating, and easier for senior pets or pets with dental issues; fresh refrigerated food is high palatability and often higher cost.

For pets eating a complete-and-balanced AAFCO-labeled diet, daily supplementation is often unnecessary.

Most veterinary guidelines consider dogs senior at 7 years for large breeds and 9 years for smaller breeds, and cats senior at 11 years.

Hire a professional when you have specific issues that DIY has not resolved in 4-6 weeks, when reactivity (lunging, barking at dogs or people) is involved, when household consistency is hard to maintain, when timing is urgent (new baby, move, lease), or when you simply want faster progress with expert input.

Sudden behavior change in pets is often medical rather than behavioral.