My Dog is Too Fat? Are Veterinarians Correct About Your Dog’s Weight?
Q: We were told by our vet that our dog is too fat, and that he needs to be on a diet. I was offended at first, since we’ve never looked at our dog as being fat. He’s a Miniature Schnauzer and weights only 22 pounds. The vet said to reduce his food quantity by 20% and see how much he loses in a month. This seems a bit extreme, and cruel, is this correct? Kathy, Salt Lake City.
A: Not extreme enough Kathy. Although I’m not equipped to argue veterinary medicine with your veterinarian, I can safely say that if your vet feels that your buddy is over weight, then, he probably is. At 22 pounds, he is not a miniature anything – sorry! Your vet sees many dogs in his practice, and your Schnauzer must have peaked his “fat scale” index. I can safely say that if your Schnauzer is of typical height (12-14″), he should be weighing about 15 lbs; unless he is exceptionally tall, then, he is about 50% overweight. This makes him extremely overweight (which might offend you again).
To your question of; is it too extreme to cut his food intake by 20%? Your veterinarian most likely did the math, he knows the ideal weight for “Tiny”, and he obviously knows that he needs to loose about 7 lbs. Given his present obese condition, a 20% reduction in food intake is not a bad plan. I would have personally gone at it differently, which can be debated as even more extreme. If my dog weighs 22 lbs, and he should ideally weigh 15, I would reduce his food intake to the level of a 15 lb dog. The back of the dog-food bag typically gives you suggestions based on the dog’s weight and activity level. Make sure you always use the dog’s final intended weight for your calculations, and not his present weight.
Your veterinarian cares about the long-term health of your buddy (that’s not just his patient, it’s also his client); so, let’s get him on a solid diet, and make him healthy again. Peace. DogMan.
Angel Soriano, also known as DogMan, is a professional dog trainer that deals with severe dog behaviors. Soriano has been in the dog training industry since 1985; acting as CEO and CTO for K9 University, which is located in Oklahoma City. “Ask the DogMan” is a weekly help column intended to help people with dog behavior issues. You may send your questions to DogMan at K9 University, on the web at http://myk9u.com