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Find out if your dog is underweight using a quick test you can do at home�
Maintaining a healthy weight in pets is every owner’s top concern. But they are so consumed by the idea of not letting them become big that they often don’t realize when their pooch is underweight.
Being overweight causes a lot of complications in dogs, which not only makes their life difficult but also results in huge medical bills from multiple visits to the vet. Similarly, being underweight can also pose several health risks.
Home test reveals if your dog is underweight
Pet parents these days are obsessed with keeping their dogs in shape. They aren’t to blame because most pets get less than the recommended amount of activity, naturally increasing their odds of becoming overweight.
However, underfeeding your dog or making them exercise overly can have adverse effects, too. So, here’s to know if your pooch is the right size.
Regina’s reportedly has the “most trusted pet food” experts in California and in one of their videos, an expert demonstrates an easy way to find out if your dog should weigh more.
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She uses her knuckles as an example of a real dog’s ribs to show the simple test that doesn’t take more than a couple of seconds.
She spreads her wrist open with her palm facing down and proceeds to feel her knuckles, which can be felt effortlessly without exerting any pressure. If your dog’s ribs feel this way, it probably weighs the right amount.
She then turns her palm around to feel her knuckles, which need more pressing. If your dogs’ ribs are hard to feel, too, they are most likely overweight.
She then folds her wrist to feel the knuckles, which are almost protruding and easy to feel. It’s a sign that your dog is underweight if its ribs are visible and easy to feel.
Vet-recommended diet for your furry baby
It isn’t advisable to randomly switch our dog’s diet to change their body weight. If you think a home-cooked diet is ideal, a vet feels differently about the popular opinion.
The Focus spoke to registered veterinarian Dr. Joanna Woodnut to find out what diet is best for your furry baby and she strongly recommends sticking to kibble as it provides all the required nutrients.
Dr. Joanna said: Kibble isnt all bad, and many vets feed their dogs kibble (myself included!). A lot of people worry that they dont know what goes into kibble.
Animal by-products sound scary, but these have a specific definition in labeling rules and actually mean that the diet contains the same ingredients that other brands and homemade recipes tout organ meat, chicken necks, and damaged muscles that are too ugly to make it into the human food chain, she added.
Furthermore, well-established brands follow stringent quality control processes to make sure their finished diet meets all the nutritional analyses. We highly recommend checking with your vet if you plan to make any changes to your dog’s diet to avoid reactions or other health complications.
