IF YOUR pet was getting less exercise and, perhaps, a few more treats over lockdown, now’s the time to check their weight and body shape.

PDSA Vet, Anna Ewers Clark, said: “Lockdown has been a challenging experience for a lot of pets and people, so many of us have wanted to spoil our pets to make up for the restrictions we’ve been living with. Extra treats combined with less exercise means some pets (and their owners!) may have gained a little extra weight.

“Small fluctuations to our pet’s weight can generally be corrected and won’t contribute to serious long-term health issues. But over longer periods, it may lead to serious health problems including arthritis, joint strain, back problems and breathing problems, particularly for flat-faced breeds. Thankfully, getting your pet back down to their ideal weight takes just a few simple changes.”

The starting point for all dog and cat owners is to check your pet’s body shape by gently running your hands down the top and the side of their body.

Anna said: “You should be able to feel your pet’s ribs and spine quite easily when you run your hands through their fur. If you need to press down to feel them, your pet is probably overweight. A healthy body shape has an ‘hourglass figure’ visible from above, as your pet should tuck in at the waist. It can be trickier to see the hourglass shape in very fluffy dogs or cats, so you’ll need to smooth down their fur to see if they have this shape underneath.”

If you think your pet is overweight, it’s important to get advice from a vet or nurse before starting a diet as losing weight too quickly can make pets ill, especially cats.

Anna’s top tips to help your pets beat the bulge.

"Weigh out food – with scales! Weigh out the daily allowance of food, following the feeding guidelines on the packaging for your pet’s ideal weight, or your vet’s advice."