Is Your Pet at a Healthy Weight? How to Check at Home (and What to Do Next)

Weight is one of the most important - and often overlooked - factors in your pet's overall health. Even small increases in weight can place extra strain on joints, heart health and energy levels. Over time, this can affect both quality of life and longevity. At Middle Brighton Vet, we assess body condition as part of every health check because we know that weight management is one of the highest-impact things we can do for a pet's long-term wellbeing.

You can check your pet's weight at home using a simple hands-on method. Run your hands along your pet's ribcage - you should be able to feel each rib easily without pressing hard. If you need to press to find the ribs, your pet is carrying excess weight. Look at your pet from above: there should be a visible waist. Look from the side: the abdomen should tuck up behind the ribcage rather than hanging level or drooping.

These checks are breed-dependent - a Greyhound and a Labrador will look very different at a healthy weight. We use a standardised body condition score from 1 to 9 to assess body composition objectively and can show you how to apply it to your pet's specific body type.

If your pet is overweight, the most effective approach is a purpose-formulated weight loss diet rather than simply reducing portions of their current food. We can calculate a target weight, recommend the right diet, and set a safe rate of loss - typically 1 to 2 percent of body weight per week.

Call us on (03) 9592 9811 or book online at middlebrightonvet.com.au/book-online for a weight consultation.