From the clinical examination and history, a plan can then be formulated for the next step in the diagnostic process.

Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical examination of your dog. It is also helpful to know what medications your dog is receiving in regards to the prevention and control of intestinal worms, fleas and heartworm. When did you first notice the weight loss?ДЈ.

Mobility (eg difficulty in walking or getting up after resting)?Дў.

Behaviour (eg lethargic, sleepy, restless or hyperactive)?.

Urination (increased frequency or any difficulty in urinating)?.

Diet (eg changed brand of food, given any food scraps from the table recently, possibility of eating any foreign objects)?.

Drinking habits (increased or decreased)?.

Has there been any change in your dogвЂ™s:.

Some things to think about prior to your visit that may assist your veterinarian in determining the cause of the weight loss include the following questions. What should you do if you notice your pet has suddenly lost weight?ДЄs soon as you notice a loss in weight, especially over a short period of time it is important to get your dog checked by your veterinarian. Image supplied by Hill's Prescription Diet ~ Clinical Nutrition to Improve Quality of Life As indicated below, the ideal condition score is a 3. Your veterinary team will be able to advise you on the ideal weight for your dog once the condition score is assessed.

Weigh your dog at least twice a year (your veterinary clinic will be more than happy for you to use their scales, and we can then record your dogвЂ™s weight at the same time)ДЄll of the above aspects are jointly used to determine a вЂbody condition scoreвЂ™ (see below diagram).

Can you see a waist line or is there a straight line from the chest to the back legs? Can you see a definite waist line or does it blend in to the hips? Can you feel their ribs easily or is there a significant layer of fat over the ribs?

Regularly run your hands over your dogвЂ™s ribs.The easiest way to assess your dogвЂ™s ideal weight is to follow a few simple steps:

Please note: there can be significant variation between genetic lines within each breed and it can be difficult to predict the ideal weight of a cross-bred dog due to the presence of 2 or more breeds in its lineage. Click here to view the ideal bodyweight range for your dog by breed. There are some useful charts available that are a helpful guide to know the ideal weight for your pet.

Pocket pet weight chart