PDD Beta help
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Step 3c – Assess your adult dog’s body condition score (BCS)
An easy way to determine whether a dog is underweight or overweight is the Body Condition Score (BCS).
Evaluate your dog’s BCS periodically.
Your goal is to keep your dog’s BCS at either 4 or 5 on a 9-point scale.
If your dog has a BCS below 4, adjust the diet. Likewise, if your dog’s BCS is 6 or higher, then you need to make adjustments.
|
Score
|
Location Feature
|
Estimated body fat (%)
|
% BW below or above
BCS 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Emaciated
|
Ribs & other bony prominences: Visible from a distance & easily palpable with no overlaying fat.
Abdomen: Severe abdominal tuck when viewed from the side, exaggerated hourglass shape when viewed from above. Tail base: Prominent, raised bone structures with no tissue between the skin and bone. Obvious loss of muscle mass and no discernible body fat. |
<4%
|
– ≥40%
|
|
2. Very Thin
|
Ribs & other bony prominences: Visible & easily palpable with no fat layer under the skin.
Abdomen: Strong abdominal tuck when viewed from the side, accentuated hourglass shape when viewed from above. Tail base: Prominent, raised bone structures with no tissue between the skin and bone. Minimal loss of muscle mass. |
4-10%
|
-30-40%
|
|
3. Thin
|
Ribs & other bony prominences: Discernible & easily palpable with minimal fat cover.
Abdomen: Pronounced abdominal tuck when viewed from the side, marked hourglass shape when viewed from above. Tail base: Raised bony structures with little tissue between skin and bone. |
5-15%
|
-20-30%
|
|
4. Slightly underweight
|
Ribs & other bony prominences: Easily palpable with minimal fat cover.
Abdomen: Abdominal tuck when viewed from the side, slightly marked hourglass shape when viewed from above. Tail base: Raised bony structures with little subcutaneous tissue. |
10-20%
|
-10-15%
|
|
5. Ideal
|
Ribs & other bony prominences: Ribs not visible, but easily palpable, with a thin layer of fat. Other bony prominences are palpable with a slight amount of overlaying fat.
Abdomen: Abdominal tuck when viewed from the side, and well-proportioned lumbar waist (hourglass shape) when viewed from above. Tail base: Smooth contour or some thickening, bony structures palpable under a thin layer of subcutaneous fat. |
15-25%
|
0%
|
|
6. Slightly overweight
|
Ribs & other bony prominences: Palpable with moderate fat cover.
Abdomen: Less obvious abdominal tuck when viewed from the side, hourglass shape less pronounced when viewed from above. Tail base: Smooth contour or some thickening, bony structures remain palpable under moderate layer of subcutaneous fat. |
20-30%
|
+10-15%
|
|
7. Overweight
|
Ribs & other bony prominences: Difficult to palpate, thick fat cover.
Abdomen: Little abdominal tuck when viewed from the side or waist, and back slightly broadened when viewed from above. Tail base: Smooth contour or some thickening, bony structures remain palpable under subcutaneous fat. |
25-35%
|
+20-30%
|
|
8. Obese
|
Ribs & other bony prominences: Ribs are very difficult to palpate, with thick layer of fat. Other bony prominences are distended with extensive fat deposit.
Tail base: Appears thickened, difficult to palpate bony structures. General: Ventral bulge under abdomen, no waist, and back markedly broadened when viewed from above. Fat deposits over lumbar area and neck. |
30-40%
|
+30-45%
|
|
9. Grossly Obese
|
Ribs & other bony prominences: Ribs are very difficult to palpate, with massive layer of fat; other bony prominences are distended with extensive fat deposit between bone and skin.
Tail base: Appears thickened, bony structures almost impossible to palpate. General: Pendulous ventral bulge under abdomen, no waist, back markedly broadened when viewed from above. Fat deposits over lumbar area, neck, face, limbs and in the groin. A dip may form on the back when lumbar and thoracic fat bulges dorsally. |
>40%
|
>45%
|