Learn How to Tell If Your Dog is Underweight

It can sometimes be difficult to tell if you have an underweight dog. This is because all dogs are not created equal and therefore what seems underweight for one dog may be a happy and healthy weight for another. There are a few ways that you can tell if your dog is underweight besides actually taking the dog to the veterinarian for a check up (which should still be done at least once per year). Follow these guidelines to determine if your dog is underweight and if so take the necessary precautions for a diet for underweight dogs that follow.

Visual Signs of an Underweight Dog:

Simply being able to see your dog's ribs is not necessarily a sign that he is underweight. However, if your dog looks emaciated and has bloating as well as a severe boniness then this is a sure sing that he is underweight and should be fed more or a better diet. Unfortunately, sometimes feeding the dog more will not be the answer if the dog has parasites such as tapeworms.

Your dog may be underweight if his ribs are very prominent and do not appear to have a layer of fat or muscle tissue covering them. If you can see the ribs, gently feel the layer over top of the ribs to determine if there is a fat or muscle layer on top. If you can feel some meat in between the ribs and your hand then your dog is probably not underweight but could be getting close. You don't want your dog to have a layer of fat that is so thick you can't feel the ribs but at the same time the ribs shouldn't be the only thing you see.

Another thing to look for in underweight dogs is the tuck-up of the dog. K9 Station describes the tuck-up of an underweight dog to be extreme. This is the area underneath your dog's ribs between the ribs and the hind legs. The tuck-up if your dog is underweight will go up very high rather than be a gradual change from the ribs to the hind legs. This is another way that you can tell at home that you have an underweight dog.

Diet for Underweight Dogs:

Underweight dogs require a diet that is higher in protein and fat than the average dog. I like to use a combination of a high crude protein dog food such as Nutro Max and a regular dog food such as Nutro Adult Large breed for my dogs to maintain their weight if they begin to look slim. It is not suggested to use a food that is high in crude protein all the time as this could result in too much weight gain but it is good to add to the diet for underweight dogs.