When you look at your dog's body, if you can see its ribs clearly, then your dog is underweight, according to the Iams website. Visible ribs on a dog are a sign that your dog has little body fat and may suffer from some type of illness.
Is it OK to see my dogs ribs?
What should you feel? You should be able to feel the ribs with a slight covering of muscle over them, but they shouldn't be visible, feel like sharp ridges or be poking out. It's important to really feel them with your fingertips rather than just looking, as many dogs' coats will hide the ribs from view.
Is a dog too skinny if you can see its ribs?
Moreover, the abdomen will be tucked up when viewed from the side. That is, lean is not too thin. Only if the ribs are visible with no palpable fat is the dog too thin. In particularly severe cases, the ribs, lower back vertebrae, and pelvic bones may be easily visible, with little to no discernible body fat.
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How can you tell if your dog is too skinny?What does it mean when you can see your dog's ribs?
