My dog's back surgery dent is deeper. Is his weight causing it?

The diagnosis of overweight is based on body condition as well as breed. Body condition is similar to the BMI score in people. When your dog is in good body condition you should be able to feel her ribs and hips with gentle pressure, the bones should be covered but able to be felt. This chart may help you visualize what she should look more like: https://www.vetcetera.com/body-condition-chart/ Getting a dental for your dog will help her a great deal in the future by keeping her mouth and teeth healthy. Tartar buildup causes gum disease and allows bacteria from the mouth to enter the bloodstream and cause heart problems. There is always some risk in general anesthesia, but as long as she is healthy otherwise and she has good results from preoperative bloodwork, that risk in reduced. Discuss your concerns with your vet, part of their job is to help you understand your pet's health and explain it in a way that you can understand so you can make the best decisions for her. If they are unable or unwilling to do so, you might consider finding a veterinarian that will.

Hi there. Being able to see the spine and hip bones more than you used to is a common sign of weight loss in dogs. There are lots of things that could cause this in an older dog like Dempsey, including chronic liver or kidney disease, intestinal absorption issues, heart disease, or even cancer. Because of this, I would recommend taking him to the vet for a check-up when you're able to. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help determine what is causing the weight loss and get him started on appropriate treatment if a problem is found.

If this just happened, then I'd be concerned about an injury to the lower spine, or hind legs. In this case it's really best to let him rest until you are able to take him to the vet for an examination (would recommend doing this in the next day or two). If this has been a problem that has been getting worse over a few months, then I would be more suspicious of arthritis. Being overweight is a big contributor to arthritis and acquiring injuries. Reducing his weight is very helpful for these conditions, but they often need prescription medication and therapy to help with the pain and inflammation. For this reason, it's still best to have him evaluated by a veterinarian. It's good that you are concerned about him getting overweight, because he does appear to be somewhat chunky. In order to get started with a weight loss plan it's good to score his current body condition. Below is a link that will help you do this. https://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20score%20chart%20dogs.pdf After that, you can use the healthy weight calculator at the following link: https://www.petcoach.co/healthy-weight-calculator/ There are some products in the pet store that are actually formulated for weight loss and these would be the best ones to feed. I know Hills, Purina and Royal Canin all have good products. The best thing to check on the bag is the AAFCO statement, which is just below the guaranteed analysis. This will tell if the food has actually demonstrated what it claims. I've included a link to an article below that explains all of this. Make sure you feed the food according to the bag's instructions and try to cut out all treats and table scraps. https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-to-look-for-when-choosing-your-pet-s-food/ The hardest thing for pet owners is that they feel like they are starving their dog. Trust me, you are not starving them, despite how bad they may make you feel. If your dog likes any vegetables like celery, carrots or green beans, then these are great, low calorie options to give as treats that can make you and your dog feel a bit better about the diet. In the end, know that a skinnier dog will be healthier and live longer, so it's well worth it. I hope that helps and you are able to get a good plan going for Polo. I've given one more link to an article with additional information below. https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-ways-to-help-your-dog-lose-weight/

Hello. This is pretty interesting. Are you sure he just does not have an area of thinning hair? This can sometimes look like a depression in the skin. If not, then muscle can atrophy & shrink a bit if there was some possible injury or trauma to the area. Unfortunately, I just can not tell you if this is serious or not & the best thing to do is have him evaluated, especially if you are sure that this is not thinning hair & when you run your hand over the area, there is a real indentation or depression. I know of no actual disease or condition that would cause this in such a young dog, other than the atrophy previously mentioned. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You are definitely doing a big favour by reducing Barney's weight till an optimum weight. I do recommend to contact your local vet branch, most of them run a weight clinic and they can follow Barney throughout his diet. Those clinics are usually for free (but ask them a quote before enrolling just in case it isn't!). I also recommend a prescription diet (hill's or royal canin) called obesity or, even better, a diet called metabolic. Please ask you vet or vet nurse how you can get this food nearby your house; most of the time they can order it for you!

I don't think either things are likely to be related to this symptom, i would believe it is more likely to be an infection, a problem with her windpipe or a lung disease. it could also be heart related. i would recommend taking her to the vet for a checkup, she might need to have an xray done.

Adorable! Aging muscle wasting can cause the back bone to be more prominent. If she is not losing weight then keeping her exercising will help maintain her muscle mass. Is she is losing weight I recommend increasing her food and bring her in for a senior exam and blood panel. They will check her teeth too to make sure everything is normal for her age. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Muffy.