My pitbull mix ribs look bloated, stomach thin. Is this normal?

Thanks for the question. The ideal weight for every dog is different, and unfortunately, obesity in pets is a big problem. We see so many overweight dogs that sometimes healthy dogs look too skinny! You should be able to lightly run your fingers across the body and feel Bubbs's ribs, but not be able to see them. He should have a waist when viewed from above, and his belly should be tucked up when viewed from the side. In your pictures I do not see any ribs, so he is definitely not underweight. I hope this helps.

Hi ! Thank you for reaching .The area you are concerned about is a bit swollen, so I think it would be wise to have Tony checked over during normal routine hours. It might not be anything to worry about but I think it is better to have a feel of Tony’s tummy and perhaps have an ultrasound done to understand a bit better what is going on. Hope this helps !

No, you should not be able to see every bone. A normal healthy weight dog should not appear boney. You should be able to feel the ribs with your hands, but not see them. I'm not sure the age of this puppy, but reasons for poor weight gain can be improper amount of food, poor quality food or parasite problems.

Opie looks pretty normal in the pictures. It may be that he's just getting a bit overweight. If he's breathing normally, not panting while resting and calm, has good energy and appetite, then it's probably ok to watch it and just keep an eye on his weight. If he's doing anything funny, or you just have a bad feeling about it, it's worthwhile to have a quick exam to make sure it's normal. Good luck!

Handsome boy! It’s not uncommon for some puppies to have the last rib flare out. It’s nothing to be overly concerned about. If he’s an active dog I recommend feeding him as much as he wants to eat while growing. The recommended amount on the bag is just a guideline. As he ages and becomes less active and not growing as quickly he should not eat as much. As far as chewing goes he’s a puppy and is probably teething so he will naturally chew on things. Please get him chew toys so he doesn’t chew the furniture. This stage should last a couple of months then most dogs grow out of it. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Chicago.

If she has not been recently dewormed I would start there as worms can cause improper weight gain. How much to feed depends on what food you are feeding her. Be sure she is eating a high quality PUPPY food and follow the instructions/recommendations on how much to feed by what the packaging tells you.

Pit Bulls can have some extreme variation in size so there is not an average for the breed. Certainly some smaller framed males will be as small as 40lbs. Some huge males may be as large as 80lbs or even bigger. This could be Little's natural body type but you should make sure his stool is checked microscopically for worms and other parasites since they will steal his nutrients and you should feed a high quality dog food. Not all foods are created equal. A diet that is highly digestible with high quality protein is more likely to help maintain a good body condition than a diet with poor quality protein. Unfortunately you can't tell just by looking at the package if the protein is high quality or not. The brand I recommend is Royal Canin. Look for one of the higher calorie formulas (this information can be found on the side of the bag). Here is a helpful chart to know if he is too skinny or not. It's all dependent on the body condition score. Scroll down to the bottom to see pictures: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-do-i-determine-if-my-dog-is-overweight/ Please feel free to post any additional questions.