NUTRITION
Body Condition Score
1 3 5 7 9
UNDER IDEAL
1
2
3
Ribs visible on shorthaired cats . No palpable fat . Severe abdominal tuck . Lumbar vertebrae and wings of ilia easily palpated .
Ribs easily visible on shorthaired cats . Lumbar vertebrae obvious . Pronounced abdominal tuck . No palpable fat .
Ribs easily palpable with minimal fat covering . Lumbar vertebrae obvious . Obvious waist behind ribs . Minimal abdominal fat .
Bjornvad CR , et al . Evaluation of a nine-point body condition scoring system in physically inactive pet cats . AJVR 2011 ; 72:433-437 . Laflamme DP . Development and validation of a body condition score system for cats : A clinical tool . Feline Pract 1997 ; 25:13-18 .
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IDEAL
4
5
Ribs palpable with minimal fat covering . Noticeable waist behind ribs . Slight abdominal tuck . Abdominal fat pad absent .
Well-proportioned . Observe waist behind ribs . Ribs palpable with slight fat covering . Abdominal fat pad minimal .
OVER IDEAL
6 Ribs palpable with slight excess fat covering . Waist and abdominal fat pad distinguishable but not obvious . Abdominal tuck absent .
7 Ribs not easily palpated with moderate fat covering . Waist poorly discernible . Obvious rounding of abdomen . Moderate abdominal fat pad .
8 Ribs not palpable with excess fat covering . Waist absent . Obvious rounding of abdomen with prominent abdominal fat pad . Fat deposits present over lumbar area .
9 Ribs not palpable under heavy fat cover . Heavy fat deposits over lumbar area , face and limbs . Distention of abdomen with no waist . Extensive abdominal fat deposits .
wsava . org
Body Condition Score
1 3 5 7 9
UNDER IDEAL
1
2
3
Ribs , lumbar vertebrae , pelvic bones and all bony prominences evident from a distance . No discernible body fat . Obvious loss of muscle mass .
Ribs , lumbar vertebrae and pelvic bones easily visible . No palpable fat . Some evidence of other bony prominences . Minimal loss of muscle mass .
Ribs easily palpated and may be visible with no palpable fat . Tops of lumbar vertebrae visible . Pelvic bones becoming prominent . Obvious waist and abdominal tuck .
German A , et al . Comparison of a bioimpedance monitor with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for noninvasive estimation of percentage body fat in dogs . AJVR 2010 ; 71:393-398 . Jeusette I , et al . Effect of breed on body composition and comparison between various methods to estimate body composition in dogs . Res Vet Sci 2010 ; 88:227-232 . Kealy RD , et al . Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs . JAVMA 2002 ; 220:1315-1320 . Laflamme DP . Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs . Canine Pract 1997 ; 22:10-15 .
© 2013 . All rights reserved .
Figure 2 & 3
IDEAL
4
5
Ribs easily palpable , with minimal fat covering . Waist easily noted , viewed from above . Abdominal tuck evident .
Ribs palpable without excess fat covering . Waist observed behind ribs when viewed from above . Abdomen tucked up when viewed from side .
OVER IDEAL
6 Ribs palpable with slight excess fat covering . Waist is discernible viewed from above but is not prominent . Abdominal tuck apparent .
7 Ribs palpable with difficulty ; heavy fat cover . Noticeable fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail . Waist absent or barely visible . Abdominal tuck may be present .
8 Ribs not palpable under very heavy fat cover , or palpable only with significant pressure . Heavy fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail . Waist absent . No abdominal tuck . Obvious abdominal distention may be present .
9 Massive fat deposits over thorax , spine and base of tail . Waist and abdominal tuck absent . Fat deposits on neck and limbs . Obvious abdominal distention .
wsava . org vet360
Issue 06 | FEBRUARY 2017 | 28