Opinions on "fat on puppies"

Opinions on "fat on puppies"

A women at the Vet's office said my puppies were "fat". One just turned a year and the other is 5 1/2 months. I tried to explain that they were pups and that the extra fat was good for them at that young age...etc..etc... When they reach the age of 18 months I will start to trim them up. They get serious excerise each and almost every day! They eat Innova puppy food now w/ extra meat and veggies trhrown in a few times a week... I have always kept a pup nice and plump...shit...you can somewhat see ribs on my 5 1/2 month old girl! It just pissed me off cause the woman is a receptionist at the Vet's and IMO she should know these things.... Wow... I sound like a overprotective owner..
Anyway, what's your thoughts on when you should start to "dry" them up??? Thanks

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

IMO fat pups are not healthy pups. they dont need to be fat, but thats just me.

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

Define fat? Did the vet say this? What is fat about your pups? Are you mixing wet with dry food or just dry food and not wetting it and it is blowing up the stomach? or is the whole body fat? round belly doesn't mean much to me in a pup unless you don't worm them. However if your pups eat too fast on dry food the food will expand in their gut and make them look fat. This can be problematic as the stomach can only expand so much. Wet their food and give them raw hides and bones to keep their teeth clean and jaws strong. Fat being the quantity of adipose tissue in the dogs subdermal layer.

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

A little fat is o'k, start thinning them out around 12 months or so.

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

IMO, ANY extra weight is not necessary for a pup, as I'm wondering how is that beneficial? If they're outside dogs, and the temps are down, perhaps a few extra pounds is ok, but otherwise, why is the extra weight necessary. Just an extra burden on the heart.

Yeah, and how "fat" are they?
And, as far as giving them raw hide, please don't. The obstructions they can cause are not worth the aggravation.



Fit for life

Weight management should be a life-long strategy for keeping your dog healthy and happy. It can dramatically improve your dog's comfort and mobility, decrease its need for anti-inflammatory medications, and even slow the progression of its osteoarthritis. It will also make your dog more able and willing to exercise, which creates a positive cycle of exercise, weight control, and joint health.




Body Condition Score (BCS) chart for dogs

Determining your dog's BCS involves evaluating the amount of fat stored on the visible parts of your dog's body. You'll be looking at or feeling (palpating) the following areas: ribs (along the sides of the rib cage), tail base (around the base of the tail, where the tail meets the rump), and abdomen (the belly).

<TABLE borderColor=#cc9933 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="94%" border=2><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>

WHERE DOES YOUR DOG RANK ON THE BODY CONDITION SCORE?​

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</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="33%" height=69>EMACIATED
Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all bony prominences evident from a distance. No discernible body fat. Obvious loss of muscle mass.</TD><TD vAlign=top width="32%" height=69>VERY THIN
Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all bony prominences easily visible. No palpable fat. Minimal loss of muscle mass.</TD><TD vAlign=top width="35%" height=69>THIN
Ribs easily palpitated and may be visible with no palpable fat. Tops of lumbar vertebrae visible. Pelvis bones becoming prominent. Obvious waist and abdominal tuck.</TD></TR><TR><TD width="33%">

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</TD><TD width="32%">

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</TD><TD width="35%">

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</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="33%" height=101>UNDERWEIGHT
Ribs easily palpable, with minimal fat covering. Waist easily noted, viewed from above. Abdomen tucked up when viewed from the side.</TD><TD vAlign=top width="32%" height=101>IDEAL
Ribs palpable without excess fat covering. Waist observed behind ribs when viewed from above. Abdominal tuck evident.</TD><TD vAlign=top width="35%" height=101>OVERWEIGHT
Ribs palpable with slight excess fat covering. Waist is discernible viewed from above but is not prominent. Abdominal tuck apparent.</TD></TR><TR><TD width="33%" height=117>

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</TD><TD width="32%" height=117>

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</TD><TD width="35%" height=117>

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</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="33%" height=139>HEAVY
Ribs palpable with difficulty, heavy fat cover. Noticeable fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent or barely visible. Abdominal tuck may be absent.</TD><TD vAlign=top width="32%" height=139>OBESE
Ribs not palpable under very heavy fat cover, or palpable only with significant pressure. Heavy fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent. No abdominal tuck. Obvious abdominal distension may be present.</TD><TD vAlign=top width="35%" height=139>GROSSLY OBESE
Massive fat deposits over thorax, spine and base of tail. Waist and abdominal tuck absent. Fat deposits on neck and limbs. Obvious abdominal distension.</TD></TR><TR><TD width="33%" height=118>

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</TD><TD width="32%" height=118>

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</TD><TD width="35%" height=118>

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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=body1 colSpan=3>* subcutaneous tissue is the loose connective tissue immediately beneath the skin; in well-fed dogs it contains fat

Body Condition Score System provided by Nestle Purina
Petcare Company, St. Louis, MO.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

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Extra pounds place an excess burden on bones and joints and can make arthritis problems worse. Overweight dogs are less able to exercise and play comfortably and their breathing may be labored. Their bodies may be less able to resist infections, and they may be at greater risk for problems during surgery and anesthesia.

Potential health problems include:

• Joint or Locomotion Difficulties. Extra pounds add stress to joints, bones, ligaments and muscles. Conditions such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, spinal disc disease and ruptures of joint ligaments may be caused or aggravated by obesity.
• Heart and Respiratory Disease. Excess fat tissue in the chest cavity and around the muscles of the heart can decrease the efficiency of the heart and lungs. Your dog’s heart and lungs have to work harder to provide adequate oxygen and circulation.
• Diabetes. Just as in humans, diabetes is much more common in obese dogs.
• Liver Disease. Obese dogs are prone to liver disease.
• Heat Intolerance. The insulating properties of excessive fat make it harder for obese dogs to tolerate heat and they feel uncomfortable.
• Skin Problems. Obese dogs may have trouble grooming because the rolls of skin built up by fat deposits can often harbor dirt, bacteria and other harmful organisms.
• Gastrointestinal Disorders. Inflammation of the pancreas is frequently found in obese dogs. It is painful and can be life threatening.

and over weight pups can easily turn into over weight dogs. Sorry, I just don't see the need for them to be carrying any extra weight.

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

how much do they weigh? this way we can give you a better idea of if they are infact fat.i dont like to put over 3 pounds of extra weight on a dog and i agree with rock by starting to thin them down to a proper weight by around 1 year old.

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

My 1 year old is 38.5 lbs. but she is gonna be small. My 5 month old is 35lbs. and her parents are around 45 - 50 lbs on the chain.

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Thanks everyone for their inputs, some good things were said, maybe I just didn't like the fact that some stranger was trying to tell me about "my dogs"! Or maybe it was how she said it. With the amount of time and overall effort I spend I guess I was insulted. And it was on the way out so I did not have a chance to ask the vet.

Like I said, on one you can see ribs... I will now start to dry up the older one. The younger one can stay where she is for now...

Thanks again.

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

And thanks Suki, great info that you posted.

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

anytime,
on this "beautiful day"!!!l

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

Great info Suki! Thanks! Now I can show my mom that her dog really IS fat!

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

Suki, that's a great chart! We are definately fat here over here..lol!
Now that it's nice out, we are going back to flyball.

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

I'm glad the chart was helpful!

And I have the opposite problem. Mine's on the lean side, so I'm always encouraging food...:eek:

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

Suki always is pulling something out of her magic hat.

 

Re: Opinions on "fat on puppies"

Thanks Suki! Im happy, I thought one of my dogs was obese, but now I know she is ower weight.lol. Back to the diet!