A printable weight log for dogs, cats and other pets. Write down the date, the weight, which scale you used, and who did the weighing. A few readings in a row show your vet more than a single number does. This sheet records numbers only. It does not say what a healthy weight is, and it does not tell you what a change means. Your vet does that.
Pet weight log
Pet's name
Unit I use (lb or kg)
Vet name
Usual weigh-in time and place
Numbers only. Your vet decides what a weight means. Never work out or change an amount of anything from a number on this sheet.
Date
Weight (write the unit)
Scale used
Weighed by
Notes
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
Home Vet Other
How to use this log
Pick one unit, pounds or kilograms, write it at the top, and stick with it. Try to weigh at the same time of day and on the same scale, because that makes the numbers easier to compare. Write the date and the reading each time, tick or circle which scale you used, and add your initials. Use the notes column for plain facts, such as a new food, a medication that was started, or a recent illness, so the number has context later.
Weighing a pet who will not sit still
Small pets can often go straight on a kitchen or baby scale. For a larger dog, some owners step on a bathroom scale alone, then again while holding the dog, and write both numbers in the notes. Others ask their clinic whether they can stop by to use the clinic scale. Whichever method you use, note it in the Scale used column so that you always compare like with like.
Why the scale matters
Different scales read a little differently, so a jump between your kitchen scale and the clinic's scale may just be the scale. That is why the log asks where each weight came from. It is also why one reading tells you very little, and a run of readings from the same scale tells you much more.
Bring it to the vet
Your vet may ask whether you have noticed weight changes, and a written log beats a guess from memory. Take the sheet to every visit, along with any medication records. Some vets consider weight when choosing medications, but that decision is theirs. If you keep a vet visit checklist, add "weight log" to the list of things to bring.
Common questions
How often should I weigh my pet?
Ask your vet. Then choose a routine you can keep, such as the first of every month, and put that day in your calendar.
Pounds or kilograms?
Either one. What matters is that you use the same unit every time and write it at the top.
What is a healthy weight for my pet?
That depends on the species, breed, age and body of your pet. Your vet can tell you, and can look at the log with you.
About this template
Print it as often as you like. Leave anything you do not need blank. Fill in the top fields by hand once, then copy the sheet for later weeks.
A few weights in a row tell your vet more than one number does. PetDose is a free pet medication tracker that shows what is done and who did it, on one iPhone. It also shows what is due, warns you before a second dose, and sends a reminder only when something is overdue. Free to track, no account, and everything stays on your phone. Pro adds full history and a vet visit report you can send or print.