Weight + Your Pet’s Musculoskeletal System

Did you know that it’s estimated that 50% of dogs are overweight? 🤯 I know, weight can be the elephant in the room, but we have to remember that we are the one’s who dictate our pet’s health, which their weight plays a ginormous part in!

A huge part of my job is assessing the external stressors that may be impacting your pet’s spine and nervous system, and extra weight is a massive physical stressor to the spine and extremities!

Excess weight not only puts more strain on the hips, knees, and elbows, but also the spine! Our nervous system’s number one job is to stay upright against gravity, which requires all of the bones, muscles, and joints to work together. Extra weight in the abdomen pulls the lower thoracic and lumbar spine forward, causing the neck and pelvis to compensate and can lead to chronic joint pain, arthritis, and many other systemic problems! 😞

How can you tell if your pet is the appropriate weight? An easy way to check is seeing if you can feel the contours of the ribs using your palms without having to push in too hard.

Note: always make sure to chat about weight concerns with your primary veterinarian, especially if your pet is having trouble loosing weight despite increasing their movement and decreasing their food, as it could be a sign of a deeper problem!