Pet Weight Converter: Kilograms to Pounds and Back
Convert pet body weight between kilograms and pounds. Includes a reference table of typical adult weight ranges so you can quickly check whether an owner-reported weight is plausible for the breed.
Convert
Weight in kilograms
Typical adult weight by species
Toy dog (Chihuahua, Yorkie)
Pad doses carefully - rounding errors hurt at this size.
1–5 kg
2–11 lb
Small dog (Beagle, Cocker)
5–15 kg
11–33 lb
Medium dog (Labrador, Golden)
15–30 kg
33–66 lb
Large dog (German Shepherd, Boxer)
25–45 kg
55–99 lb
Giant dog (Great Dane, Mastiff)
Many dose-by-mg/kg drugs cap at adult dose; check formulary.
45–90 kg
99–198 lb
Domestic cat (lean)
Average DSH adult is 4–5 kg lean.
3–5 kg
7–11 lb
Rabbit (medium breed)
1.5–4 kg
3–9 lb
Adult horse
Average light-breed adult ~500 kg.
400–600 kg
882–1323 lb
How to use this tool
The exact conversion
1 kg = 2.20462 lb. The calculator uses this constant in both directions and rounds the output to two decimal places.
Why metric matters for dosing
Most modern veterinary drug doses are published in mg/kg. Converting the owner-reported lb weight to kg before dosing avoids math errors. A 25 lb dog is 11.4 kg - not 12.5 kg as you might assume by halving.
Sanity-checking owner-reported weights
The reference table on this page shows typical adult ranges by species and breed size category. If an owner says their adult Chihuahua weighs 8 kg, that\'s outside the typical 1–5 kg range - flag it for an in-clinic weight check (true obesity, fluid retention, or just inaccuracy).
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert kg to lb?
Multiply kg by 2.20462. Example: 12 kg × 2.20462 = 26.46 lb.
How do I convert lb to kg?
Divide pounds by 2.20462. Example: 30 lb ÷ 2.20462 = 13.61 kg.
Why does it matter for dosing?
Most modern veterinary drug doses are published in mg/kg. Converting owner-reported lb to kg before dosing avoids errors - a 25 lb dog is 11.4 kg, not 12.5 kg.