Body Condition Score for Dogs & Cats

Health-Know-How

IS YOUR PET THE RIGHT SHAPE?

BODY CONDITION SCORE

BCS1-3 UNDERWEIGHT	BCS4-5 IDEAL WEIGHT


Rib cage visible; Very narrow waist	Ribs not visible but easily palpable; Obvious waist
BCS 6-7 OVERWEIGHT	BCS 8-9 OBESITY


Ribs difficult to palpate; Waist barely visible	Ribs not palpate under the fat; Waist absent

If your pet reaches BCS 6 or above, you need to consult a vet for an early health assessment

Muscle condition score is assessed by visualization and palpation of the spine, scapulae, skull and wings of the ilia.

Muscle loss is typically first noted in the epaxial muscles on each side of the spine; muscle loss at other sites can be more variable. Muscle condition score is graded as:

MUSCLE CONDITION SCORE

Normal muscle mass	Mild muscle loss


Moderate muscle loss	Severe muscle loss

Note that animals can have significant muscle loss if they are overweight (BCS >5).

Conversely, animals can have a low body condition score (<4) but have minimal muscle loss.

Assessing both body condition score and muscle condition score on every animal at every visit is important.