Overweight

Overweight refers to a moderate excess of body fat, sitting between ideal weight and [obesity](/glossary/obesity), and it often corresponds to a [body condition score](/glossary/body-condition-score) slightly above ideal, for example 6 or 7 on a 9-point scale, where the ribs become less easy to feel and the silhouette loses its clear waist (WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines). The point about overweight is that it is a step toward obesity: caught early, it is more easily corrected by a moderate adjustment of ration and activity, but left unaddressed it often progresses to a more marked excess and its associated risks such as [diabetes mellitus](/glossary/diabetes-mellitus) and joint disease. Overweight is common and widely underestimated by owners, because a slightly too-heavy animal can look normal to someone used to that appearance, and this visual normalisation complicates prevention. Regular weighing and the body condition score give a more reliable objective marker than visual impression. The marker: acting at the overweight stage avoids heavier corrections later, since a modest calorie reduction and weight monitoring often suffice early on. It is the bridge between an ideal weight and full obesity, and managing it preserves [lean body mass](/glossary/lean-body-mass) while reducing fat, a balance explored across the [Petipedia glossary](/glossary).

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General documentary information. For an individual animal, a veterinarian's advice takes precedence over any online content.