How can I tell if my pet is overweight?

Try these simple at-home tests to see if your beloved pet should see the veterinarians at Montgomery Animal Hospital for weight control.

If you’re unsure what your pet’s optimum weight should be, perform this simple test at home: Place your hand on your pet’s rib cage with your thumb on the back.

• If you feel your pet’s ribs easily, your pet is probably at a normal weight.
• If you can feel some fat between the skin and ribs or if the ribs are difficult to detect, your pet is probably considered overweight.
• If you can’t feel the ribs at all, your pet may likely be obese.

In some pets, particularly cats, a large abdomen that hangs down toward the ground may indicate obesity. It’s important to have this judgement confirmed by your veterinarian; he or she can rule out other diseases that can sometimes look like obesity but instead are heart, kidney or glandular disease.

Cat photo credit: vimiramontes www.flickr.com