Fat Or Not Fat?

[Guest SuperiorItaly]

My vet, who is the best vet in the history of vets, thinks that Italy could lose a couple of pounds. She's been the same size since we got her in July and is the same weight as when she raced, if not a bit lighter albeit that was probably more muscle mass at the time. She used to get 1.5 cups of Pro Plan Lamb & Rice with some low-fat or fat-free organic yogurt 2x/day and she'd get a couple Purina Carvers per day. Now she gets 1 cup of food with some organic pumpkin 2x/day and a 1-2 C.E.T. chews a day for her treat. I want to make sure she's healthy, but I don't think she looks all that fat and that it's just her body type. She's not a skinny grey and I know they say you should see their last 3-4 ribs, but what say you? The top 2 are the most recent and from tonight.

 

Edited February 24, 2010 by SuperiorItaly

[Guest KennelMom]

She could lose a couple and be fine. But, I wouldn't look at her (from the pics) and think OMG-LOOK-AT-THAT-FAT-GREYHOUND. I think she's pretty normal/standard for the average pet.

[Guest isntitgreyt]

I think she looks beautiful Love that last pic!! Foxy and Molly lose/gain 1-2 pounds every time they go to the vet. In the winter it seems like they gain and the summer lose but they are healthy.

[Guest PiagetsMom]

I would imagine that they very rarely race above desirable weight, and seems their racing weight is usually more on the lean side. Varies from kennel to kennel, I know. Both my pups are very close to their racing weights, but have varied 3 - 5 lbs since their time with me. Piaget always looks very trim, but Mirage has a more stocky build and never has that same really trim look. However, recently on one of our walks our neighbor referred to them as those "skinny" dogs to his daughter, so I guess maybe I'm just used to looking at them

[GreytNut]

She looks great for a retired racer. If she was actively racing she would probably be a few pounds lighter. I'm of the opinion that retired hounds should have a tiny bit more padding (just a tiny bit, though).

 

If she starts to lose that nice tuck, I'd say she's getting too heavy.

[grey14me]

Really, I don't think she looks the slightest bit heavy

[greysmom]

She looks OK to me, though your vet seems pretty knowledgable. Generally, you do want to see the last 2-4 ribs, and maybe some hip points, but if she's holding her weight well and healthy overall, I wouldn't worry too much. In my experience, greys can lose 1-2 pounds pretty easily just with increasing their exercise a bit. So one more long walkie, or 10 minutes run-n-play session a day might do the trick for her.

[cleptogrey]

my vet likes thin dogs and so do i. i would reduce her food a tad, watch those treats and give it a whirl. my dogs seem to gain a bit during the winter months, but it comes off as soon as the good weather arrives.

[Trihounds]

Hard to tell on a brindle sometimes but I wouldn't have at all said she needed to lose weight. Looks good from what I can see in the photos.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Fat? No! Not at all. But I'd put more muscle back on her. I love dogs in racing condition, though.

[ahicks51]

She could stand to lose 0-1 pound, and that's about it. I like 'em on the thin side- I figure it's better on their joints, among other reasons- but she's certainly not overweight. If you can, go for the full-fat or 2% yogurt. There's no reason to exclude the fat.

[Guest twogreytkids]

Italy looks perfectly fine. As long as she is maintaining her adoption weight, I wouldn't worry about it. It is normal for a grey to add a couple of pounds after they retire.

 

Marcy

[Guest kydie]

OMG FAT? she looks fine to me, he would hate to see my dogs during winter months my dogs always put one a few pounds, then summer comes and they lean down

[MP_the4pack]

She's fine.

 

Greys lose a lot of weight when they're sick. And FAST. I'd prefer to be just a tad overweight than under.

 

Just look at all the post complaining that their grey won't eat and they are now all skin and bones. It took only a week or so to get like that.

 

Just don't let her look like a striped lab. But extra poundage is definitely okay.

[Guest KennelMom]

She's fine.

 

Greys lose a lot of weight when they're sick. And FAST. I'd prefer to be just a tad overweight than under.

 

Just look at all the post complaining that their grey won't eat and they are now all skin and bones. It took only a week or so to get like that.

 

Just don't let her look like a striped lab. But extra poundage is definitely okay.

 

I have to disagree with post. There is a range of ok weights for dogs and, IMO, fat/overweight is not in that range. Pet people are probably the WORST to ask about weight on a dog...I've seen dogs that are supposedly "skin and bones" according to a pet person and the dog is actually in pristinely perfect racing condition. People tend to see fat as normal...and it's not.

 

These are SUPPOSED to be skinny dogs.

Edited February 24, 2010 by KennelMom

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

I agree with kennel mom. If I say a dog is skin and bones, I mean it. For example Roman was 10 pounds UNDER his racing weight, and still muscled up. He was a rack of bones. Now, he looks awesome (as KennelMom has commented). Some people think he's skinny. He's the epitome of health, glowing, fit, and healthy, with only a couple ribs lightly showing.

[Guest Pradasmom]

I think Italy looks just right..they are RETIRED racers they dong need to be in perfect racing form let them enjoy their life. Just my opinion

[MerlinsMum]

Yes, these are supposed be skinny dogs, and for greys to be overweight can be even more unhealthy than for other dogs, but I don't consider their racing weight to be desirable either.

 

It is hard to tell from the pics, to be honest, because of her coat or the light, but I think your girl looks good. Personally, though, because of their build, the stress on their joints and the fact that these dogs have been bred with such small feet, I like to keep my hounds as lean as possible. Merlin and Sagan recently went to the vet and they have both put on a couple of pounds - they often do in the winter, because our winters are icy and long, so they don't get to run as often as they do in the summer. They have always lost the weight again by late spring, so I don't worry too much anymore. I don't cut their food by much, I just cut treats and lengthen their walks.

 

So, if I were you, maybe I'd cut down on cookies and see if her hips start showing a little more than they appear to be showing in the pictures above. You should be able to see the last 2-3 ribs and a hint of their hips, but every dog is different. For example, Merlin doesn't have that "tuck" under his tummy anymore, even when he's at his optimum weight of 75 lbs, and yet I can always see all of his ribs, even when he's overweight. Sagan, on the other hand, has the "tuck" even when he is a couple of pounds heavier than he should be, and I can still see the last three ribs, but his hips are not showing anymore. So I think that developing an eye for one's dog's optimum weight is key.

 

I really wouldn't stress over it though. I used to obsess all the time about whether Merlin and Sagan were the right weight or not and it's silly. One day they looked too skinny, the next I was sure they were overweight Now I have learned to relax a bit more about it. As long as they are not more than 2lbs overweight or underweight, I don't worry too much. They are lucky in that they can lose weight pretty fast with just a little bit more exercise and fewer cookies.

[Guest Mom2Shiloh]

Wow... catching me at the right time to be sensitive -- I had Silver's teeth cleaned yesterday and got berated by someone working at the vet's for getting him too fat! Now-- he is overweight. I was told when I got him that he'd raced at over 80#; when I looked him up on GH-data, though, he'd actually raced at 76 or 78 ! Yipes.. big difference. He was over 90# when he came to me. I told the person who was on my case that he was a good 7# lighter than when I got him and we were working on it--which we are. But Silver is a broad dog.. one of those kind of square built blocks of greyhounds -- and furthermore, he was a return after 5 years in a home where I don't think he got much love. Then he came to me and had cancer surgery.. so all in all, going through all that and being currently cancer free, I'm proud of him for beginning to trim down-- he has a waist again, you can see his ribs and hipbones.. not very prominently, but visible. (yadda yadda .. plus he has great teeth, a lovely smile and excellent joints

 

So he is 10 years old, 85 pounds and we're working toward 80#; but I don't want him miserable either so it's gradual.

 

I think your greyhound looks fabulous.. it is hard to tell with brindles. Probably a pound or two either way would be okay but I would definitely not stress over it and do it gradually...

 

(I'm using a food called Dr. Harvey's Veg-to-Bowl complete which is organic dehydrated vegetables of all the right kinds to keep the carbs and histamine makers Down and is awesome with the inclusion of meat, a little oil and in Silver's case just a little kibble with each meal.)

[Guest KennelMom]

Oh...just want to add that once they get into double digits, and especially teens, I prefer to keep them on the heavy side of a normal range.

[Guest Gemma]

She's fine.

 

Greys lose a lot of weight when they're sick. And FAST. I'd prefer to be just a tad overweight than under.

 

Just look at all the post complaining that their grey won't eat and they are now all skin and bones. It took only a week or so to get like that.

 

Just don't let her look like a striped lab. But extra poundage is definitely okay.

 

I have to disagree with post. There is a range of ok weights for dogs and, IMO, fat/overweight is not in that range. Pet people are probably the WORST to ask about weight on a dog...I've seen dogs that are supposedly "skin and bones" according to a pet person and the dog is actually in pristinely perfect racing condition. People tend to see fat as normal...and it's not.

 

These are SUPPOSED to be skinny dogs.

 

I tend to agree, KennelMom. Although I do feel that within a very small area (say, 5lbs or so) you have some wiggle room. For instance, I like my boy to weigh 75-77lbs. Right now, he's at 80lbs. My vet says it's fine and he certainly doesn't look fat but I'd feel happier with him getting back to at least 77lbs again. I'm sure others would be okay with where he's at. I know some people like seniors to have a few lbs spare in case of illness but those few lbs must be within the healthy weight range, IMO. After all, extra weight puts stress on the joints and does no favours for those of us with older pups who have pain issues. I think MP_the4pack might be talking about that small amount of wiggle room; not a legitimately overweight dog.

[MP_the4pack]

She's fine.

 

Greys lose a lot of weight when they're sick. And FAST. I'd prefer to be just a tad overweight than under.

 

Just look at all the post complaining that their grey won't eat and they are now all skin and bones. It took only a week or so to get like that.

 

Just don't let her look like a striped lab. But extra poundage is definitely okay.

 

I have to disagree with post. There is a range of ok weights for dogs and, IMO, fat/overweight is not in that range. Pet people are probably the WORST to ask about weight on a dog...I've seen dogs that are supposedly "skin and bones" according to a pet person and the dog is actually in pristinely perfect racing condition. People tend to see fat as normal...and it's not.

 

These are SUPPOSED to be skinny dogs.

 

I tend to agree, KennelMom. Although I do feel that within a very small area (say, 5lbs or so) you have some wiggle room. For instance, I like my boy to weigh 75-77lbs. Right now, he's at 80lbs. My vet says it's fine and he certainly doesn't look fat but I'd feel happier with him getting back to at least 77lbs again. I'm sure others would be okay with where he's at. I know some people like seniors to have a few lbs spare in case of illness but those few lbs must be within the healthy weight range, IMO. After all, extra weight puts stress on the joints and does no favours for those of us with older pups who have pain issues. I think MP_the4pack might be talking about that small amount of wiggle room; not a legitimately overweight dog.

 

 

I do mean that. I specifically said not to have a striped lab.

 

In a 2 week time frame when Brindle was hospitalized with a fever of unknown origin, she went from 65 lbs pet weight (61 racing), down to 51. In just 2 weeks. They thought they were going to lose her because of organ failure from weight loss, not the fever.

 

I'm not even going where I was with Pearl a couple weeks ago.

 

Also. A racing dog is pure muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. Most pets are no longer at that kind of muscle build. (same with human athletes). So a pet that looks to be the same weight as it did while racing will weigh more.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Hmmm, I didn't know that my fit, lean, active dogs who love lure coursing, playing, running, and swimming, and who get treats, table scraps, etc (and stay slender because they get proper exercise) are not enjoying their lives.

[Guest Pradasmom]

well you live in florida you have the option of being outdoors almost daily (lucky you) but here in the north we have lots of snow and no clean sidewalks where I live and even the streets are icy and snow filled MOST of the winter..so only place my dogs get exercise is in my fenced back yard...one loves it the other doesnt like the cold!! looking forward to spring..so i can walk them and get them to the park for proper walks...dont have the luxery here for a swim though

[BootsyCollins]

We have never been able to see any of Bootsy's ribs, but he is a good weight and his hip bones are visible. My point is, I wouldn't go by just one factor - ribs, hip bones, tuck, etc. - but rather the overall package.