Whether you’re weighing dogs, cats, or hamsters, you want accurate results every time. This blog will discuss why it’s important to keep track of your pet’s weight with a vet scale as well as three tips for doing it well.

Why Should You Weigh Your Pet?

Just as people should have a complete physical once a year, your pets should get annual veterinary check-ups. As part of the process, your veterinarian will take their weight. Veterinarians weigh your pets because their weight is a strong indicator of their overall health and well-being. It also helps them properly dose medications. A heavy dog will need a greater amount of medicine than your typical lean cat.

If your pet is prone to health issues, it may be a good idea to keep a veterinary scale at home or somewhere nearby so you can weigh your pet more frequently.

Weight fluctuations are normal and depending on the animal, may even be expected. Bears, for example, hibernate during the winter, going for as long as 100 days without food or water. To prepare, they eat a ton in the fall so they can rely on their fat stores. During hibernation, they can lose between 15 and 30% of their body weight.

Domestic animals, however, don’t hibernate during the winter. If your pet were to lose 15 to 30% of its body weight over the course of three months, something may be seriously wrong. In fact, you should begin to get concerned if your pet loses or gains 10% or more of their body weight over a short period of time.

3 Tips for Ensuring Accurate Weighing Results for Pets

If you want the most accurate weighing results, you’ll need to guarantee that you’re using the right type of scale, keeping a thorough weight record, and preparing your pet properly.

1.      Choose the Right Scale

You’ll need to choose an appropriate weighing scale for your pet, with the right capacity and other features that may help ease the weighing process.

The type of scale you purchase for weighing your pet largely depends on both its size and weight. Horses wouldn’t fit on anything smaller than a platform scale. Our largest is the PT platform with models ranging from 39.4" x 39.4” (3.9ft²) to 59.1" x59.1" (4.9ft²) and capacities between 2500lb and 5000lb. 

For large dog breeds, a smaller platform scale like our CPWplus L with a 35.4"x 23.6" (2.95 ft x 2 ft) pan size and capacities between 35kg to 300kg may be best. For large dogs that are comfortable sitting on the scale and medium-sized dogs, a floor scale may be sufficient. For cats, bunnies and small dogs, a bench scale will work the best, especially a medical scale like our MTB. Hamsters, birds, and lizards will fit perfectly on a compact balance.

Now that you know what type of scale to go for, let’s investigate features that could help narrow down your options.

What’s Dynamic/Animal Weighing?

The weighing process will be more efficient and less stressful for both you and your pet if your scale offers a dynamic/animal weighing application. This application can take the average weight of a moving animal over a set time frame.

Your pets may not understand that it’s time for them to stand still when they’re on a weighing scale. It can be frustrating if their movements prevent an accurate weighing result. When you use the dynamic/animal weighing function, you can allow the animal to move relatively freely and still obtain an accurate weight.

Both our GBK and GFK Bench and Floor Checkweighing Scales as well as our AGB and AGF Bench and Floor Scales offer dynamic/animal weighing, which makes the weighing process easier. Our PT Platforms, when paired with our GK or AE 403 Indicators, also include dynamic/animal weighing.

What is the Display Hold Feature?

Display hold is another feature that can make weighing animals easier, especially if the animal is likely to try and bolt off the scale as soon as they’re set down. Display hold records and holds the steadiest weight that the scale experiences on the display. You’ll be able to write down the result with time to spare, even if the animal has already stepped off.

Our AGB and AGF Bench and Floor scales offer display hold as well as our Latitude Compact Bench Scales and MTB Digital Scale. Our CPWplus series offers a display hold function as well as a variety of platform sizes, so you can choose the best option for you.

With the right scale and some helpful features, you’ll be more apt to get an accurate weighing result each time.

2.      Establish a Weighing Record

Your pet’s weight may be accurately displayed on the scale, but if you don’t have anything to compare it to, does the accuracy really matter?

Sometimes sudden weight changes may be obvious from a visual perspective, such as your horse’s ribs beginning to show more prominently through their short coat. Other times, like with Samoyed dogs or angora rabbits, their long fluffy fur may help to disguise any physical changes. This is why it’s important to weigh your pet regularly (at least once a month) and establish a record.

In general, your pet’s weight should be consistent, though slight fluctuations may be expected. Once you’ve established their normal, healthy weight, you can use this information as a baseline. Should they begin losing/gaining up to or beyond 10% of their baseline body weight, you have a significant amount of evidence that you can show to your veterinarian, who is less familiar with your pet than you are.

Based on your record, the vet can more easily determine if tests are necessary and which course of treatment to pursue. Your diligent record-keeping may help to identify health issues early on before they become truly serious.

3.      Prepare Your Pet for Weighing Properly

Though a scale with display hold or dynamic/animal weighing will help you get accurate results, it’s still possible without those features if you prepare your pet properly.

First things first, if your scale has a stainless-steel pan, we recommend placing a non-slip mat down, or a blanket. Stainless steel can feel cold and be a bit slippery with fur and nails, which can put pets on edge. Make sure to Tare out the weight of the blanket from the scale so it doesn’t impact your weighing result. It’s softer on their feet and lets them get comfortable. Our MTB features a secondary pan with a non-slip mat particularly for animals that have trouble gripping on.

Small pets like mice or hamsters could fit within the draft shields of our Core or Highland Compact Balances, since they have a removeable and breathable top. For larger pets that tend to scurry, a Tupperware container or a storage tub could help to contain them.

If your pet is particularly food motivated, this can be an excellent motivator for staying still on the scale, even if you must place the food on the pan for them to eat while they’re being weighed.

If your pet is more comfortable being held in your arms and your scale has a high enough capacity, you could step on the scale and Tare off your weight. Then, pick up and hold your pet while you’re on the scale to see their weight.  

The goal is to keep them as still and cooperative as possible so that your weighing results aren’t struggling to adjust to movement, and you’re not growing frustrated. Record your pet’s weight in a safe location.

Common Causes of Weight Change

If you’re concerned about your pet’s significant or sudden weight gain or loss, please consult your veterinarian. However, there are a few common causes for significant weight change, and most are easily avoidable.

Too Much or Too Little Food

Please do thorough research on how much food is required for your pet. The same amount of food that may happily sustain your chihuahua (between a quarter and a half cup a day) will not sustain your German Shepherd (between three and five cups a day). If your pet isn’t getting the correct level of calories and nutrition, their weight may begin to change.

The level of exercise your pet gets also affects how much food they should be receiving. A chihuahua that goes on daily hikes will require more food than one that spends all day comfy in bed.

It’s generally understood that dogs and cats should consume between approximately 20 and 30 calories per pound of their body weight. Aim for closer to 20 if they’re not very active and closer to 30 if they get a lot of daily exercise. Horses need between 20 to 25 calories per pound of body weight, while bunnies need 25 – 30 calories per pound.

A 65lb dog that is moderately active should be consuming about 1625 calories each day (65lb x 25 Cal). Your pet’s food should have a calorie guide listed clearly on the packaging to help with this.

If you want to keep track of your pet’s food intake, you could also use a scale to weigh their portion sizes.

Stress

If your pet’s daily routine or environment has changed, this may cause stress. Just like humans, a common response to stress is to eat less, resulting in weight loss. Luckily, this isn’t permanent, but can be resolved quicker if you develop a new routine, provide adequate stimulation, and foster a calm environment.

Dental Pain

If your pet is having dental issues, the pain caused by eating or chewing may cause them to eat less. Signs of dental pain could be a preference for eating softer foods, a resistance to having their snout/mouth touched, and bad breath. A vet is necessary in this instance to properly determine the cause and provide treatment.

Pregnancy

This one is quite clearly exclusive to female pets. If your pet isn’t spayed and has been in contact with an intact male, she may be pregnant.

Serious Medical Conditions

Though the worst-case scenario, a variety of diseases and parasites may cause concerning weight loss or gain. A few of the most frequent include hyperthyroidism, tapeworms, diabetes, cancer, or Cushing’s disease. If you suspect that your pet may be undergoing a serious medical condition, please contact your veterinarian immediately. Once diagnosed and offered treatment, continue weighing your pet to keep track of recovery.

Please note that the content provided on our blog regarding pet weighing is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional veterinary advice. We encourage readers to consult with their veterinarian for personalized guidance concerning their pet's health and well-being.

If you need assistance deciding which animal scale is right for you, contact us, and we’ll be happy to help.