Is My Beagle Too Skinny?
I have a Beagle, and she is out of the puppy phase. I have had her since she was twelve weeks old. I would like to know if her weight is where it needs to be because she has always seemed a bit thin.
Concerned for my Beagle, I decided it was time to investigate and ensure nothing was wrong with her.
I hope what I found out today on the internet will also help someone else wondering about this topic.
Is My Beagle Too Skinny?
Adult Beagles should weigh between twenty and twenty-four pounds. Females usually weigh less than males. A pound or two outside of the guidelines may not be worth worrying about for smaller adult Beagles but if you can feel or see their bones, they are likely too skinny and may need to see the veterinarian.
To ensure that your Beagle isn’t too skinny, they should be fed a nutritious diet that is ample for their busy daily life and may need to be increased or decreased from one day to the next depending on their activity level.
Beagles are known for being energetic and love going on adventures, whether yours or their own and this can cause them to need extra nutrition if they are particularly enthusiastic.
Specific health issues can cause a loss of weight; therefore, if a Beagle appears to be too skinny and more food doesn’t help, it is time to visit its veterinarian.
Many things can easily cause being too skinny that are not related to health, and many adjustments can be made to gain the weight they need to be healthy again.
A Beagles weight is usually a direct reflection of their overall health.
If they are too skinny, they are likely unhealthy or not fed enough food, which means that poor health may crop up later in life if left unchecked.
On the flip side, if a Beagle appears to be overweight, they can also suffer poor health and need exercise and diet adjustments to help them lose weight.
If a pet parent suspects that their Beagle seems a bit underweight, some things can be done to help them gain weight and keep them healthy.
The healthy weight guideline for your Beagle is between twenty and twenty-four pounds for both the male and the female. Females are usually slightly thinner and closer to the bottom of that guideline, with males ending up on the higher end.
If a Beagle looks too skinny, you can see the Beagles bones in some regions of its body that you wouldn’t usually see; they are too skinny.
Also, if a pet parent feels their Beagles’ body and can physically feel the bones, they are too skinny.
Certain dog breeds are built with a thinner shape in or around particular body parts, which is normal. For the Beagle, this is not the case.
If you can see their bones or feel them, it is time to take your Beagle to the veterinarian.
These are just numbers, and the true determination of a dog’s health will show up in their appearance, their lifestyle, habits, and how they live.
If they are lively, acting happy and healthy chances are the slight variance in weight will not matter.
Beagles that fall just short of the above-listed pounds by maybe a pound or two may not necessarily be cause for alarm as a dog’s weight changes from one day to the next.
In this case, it is entirely possible that the Beagle didn’t eat enough food the previous day or played too hard or went on one too many adventures without enough sustenance to fuel them.
Diet can play a part in a dog’s weight, of course, but so can their health, medications they might be taking, their age, their activity level, and of course, their lifestyle about stress and how comfortable they feel and sleep.
Lack of proper nutrition can cause a Beagle to lose weight, but so can mild health issues.
For instance, if a Beagle ate something they shouldn’t have in the yard, and for the next few days, they are not overeating and vomiting outside without their pet parents knowing it and having digestive issues, this can spiral fast.
One instance like this can quickly cause a dog to lose weight very fast.
The good news is that this usually resolves itself in a few days when they can again keep down food, and their digestive system returns to normal.
Certain medications that a Beagle might need if they have existing health problems can sometimes cause them to weigh less, as can chronic health problems usually are related to their thyroid.
This is often noticeable as dogs that can have trouble adjusting to medications when they start are changed or stopped.
Usually, digestive issues related to this problem will naturally fix themselves. The Beagles body adjusts to the medicine.
Older Beagles may also weigh more due to health problems that can be either mild or severe and just the normal process of aging, which will have them eating less than they once did.
This can easily be fixed by offering smaller but more frequent meals for older Beagles.
A Beagles’ activity level affects their weight. If they exercise more, they will naturally need more food like we humans do.
If they don’t eat enough, they can lose weight very quickly without even trying.
It is essential to pay close attention to your Beagles’ exercise habits and adjust their daily food intake to compensate for more exercise and even less exercise.
Stress, anxiety, and other issues that can crop up in a family’s lifestyle or home life can easily cause disruptions in a dog’s life and cause them to lose weight or not eat enough.
The good news with this situation is that it is remedied easily by removing distractions, stress, or problems and creating a more harmonious family lifestyle.
Whatever the cause of a Beagle being too skinny, if simple lifestyle changes are made, and they are still not gaining the weight they need, it is always best to take them to their veterinarian to ensure that all is well.
While certain health problems can cause these issues, there are other things that might be overlooked by their pet parents that only a veterinarian can uncover.
How do I know if my Beagle is getting enough food in their daily diet?
The best way to know if your Beagle is getting enough food in its daily diet is to consult its veterinarian.
The guideline for a dog of their size recommends that a Beagle eats around 1 cup of dry food per day, but this can vary from one dog to the next as their lifestyle and exercise habits may be slightly different.
This should be split into two meals per day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
Healthy treats can be shared at appropriate moments in moderation.
If, for some reason, a Beagle is exercising a lot, or they appear to be extra hungry, healthy snacks and a little more dog food at their next meal can do the trick to provide nutrition and prevent them from losing weight and being too skinny.
Many healthy treat options can be nutritious and filling while providing extra calories like dog-friendly crunchy vegetables.
These will add nutrition without causing other health issues down the road for your Beagle.
Peanut butter pup pops, crunchy slices of carrot, frozen berries, and pumpkin are some choices that a pet parent can share with the Beagle.
This can be enticing for the Beagle because all dogs like eating what their pet parents are eating, and it promotes a healthy lifestyle not only for them but their pet parents too.
Dog food should not contain fillers that are empty calories and will not give the Beagle the nutrition they need daily.
The first ingredients should always be protein, and the ingredients list should be small and free of preservatives and additives.
These things are not healthy for anyone, including your Beagle.
If you fed your Beagle this way, they are getting the best chance at good health through a nutritious diet, and if a Beagle still appears to be skinny, their veterinarian must be consulted.
In Conclusion
No one wants their Beagle to be too skinny, and thankfully there are guidelines, veterinarians, and obvious signs of real problems.
For pet parents who worry, this problem is usually easily fixed with a few diet and exercise tweaks.
However, if the problem isn’t quickly resolved, they can rest assured that their Beagles veterinarian will help uncover the problem.