My Doberman's spine is visible. Is this normal, or is he underweight?

Hello! In an ideal situation, you can feel the ribs, but not see them, so that sounds pretty good! When you look at him from above, there should be an "hourglass" shape, just behind his ribs, in an ideal body condition.

Hello, and thanks for your question! From the photos, I do not think Ivan looks underweight. It is difficult for me to say for sure though without putting my hands on him. What you can do is run your hands along his rib cage. If you can feel his ribs with a bit of fat around them, then he is in good shape. This should feel similar to running your fingers along the back of your hand. If you cannot feel that bit of fat around his ribs, or if his ribs are clearly visible from a distance, then he may be underweight. I hope this helps, and that Ivan is otherwise happy and healthy!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! The picture quality isn't great but Duke appears a bit think. I think I can see his hip bones. Please look at this ideal body condition chart and aim for a 4-5 body condition score. https://oregonvma.org/files/Purina-Dog-Condition-Chart.pdf I hope this helps!

I can't really tell you anything specific about your dog's spine without seeing radiographs. However, there is a huge amount of normal variation in anatomy with all animals, including us. Do not panic. If your dog is having any kind of orthopedic problem, he will likely express pain or discomfort when you press gently on these vertebrae or on both sides of his back along the large epaxial muscles that follow along the dorsal midline. If this all seems ok, and if he is not limping, and is able to run, walk, sit up, jump up, and play normally, he is likely just fine, and the way his spine feels is normal for him. If he drags any limb when he walks, or seems to walk like he is "drunk", or seems paralyzed in any way, then I would be concerned.

Yes, that is all normal. His weight appears fine in this photo. The biggest problem in pet dogs is obesity so it is preferable for them to be their ideal weight or just a bit underweight. I would not be worried. Great question!

You should be able to feel the bones with gentle pressure over the ribs and spine. Without a photo, I can't say by looking what kind of body condition she has, but from the description above twelve pounds is a good-size Chihuahua. This chart may help you visualize if she is underweight or not. https://www.aaha.org/public_documents/professional/guidelines/weightmgmt_bodyconditionscoring.pdf

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.