Page 109 - Raw Diet References Book 2019

VII Annexes

1. BODY CONDITION SCORE

1.1 Introduction

About one third of cats and dogs over one year of age based on optimal body weight (BW). Although BW
presented to veterinary practices in the USA are either is an objective and precise measure, it does not give
overweight or obese (BCS 7 & 8, see Table VII 1&2), and sufficient information as to whether the BW is optimal
the prevalence increases to almost 50% between the or not. Assessing body condition in combination
age of 6 and 11 years. (Lund et al. 2005 & 2006). The with BW provides a more accurate evaluation of the
prevalence in Europe is very similar (Sloth 1992, Colliard animal’s condition and a better basis for determining
et al. 2006 & 2009). Energy requirements should be energy requirements.

1.2 Validated Body Condition Score

A body condition score (BCS) is a subjective, semi- to partition into a number of categories (Burkholder
quantitative method for assessing the animal’s body 2000), therefore, values of % BF of successive BCS may
composition, particularly the percentage of body overlap. Tables 1 and 2 show the BCS with description
fat (%BF), and for estimating the degree of over- and and corresponding percentages of body fat and
underweight. Different body condition score (BCS) increase or decrease of body weight under or above
systems have been developed over the years. A scale optimal body weight.
of 1-to-9 has been validated for dogs and cats and
showed very good repeatability and predictability For comparison the 5-point scoring is added in
(Laflamme 1997a & b). The body condition of animals is column 2 of both tables.
a continuum, which body condition scoring attempts

1.3 Practical use and interpretation

On a scale of 1 to 9 a score of 5 should reflect optimal with a longer median life span and delayed onset of
% BF; which is estimated to be between 20 and 30% chronic diseases (Kealy et al. 2002). These dogs had a
for cats (Laflamme 1997a; Harper et al. 2001; Bjornvad BCS of 4/9 to 5/9 with a %BF ranging from 12 to 20%
et al. 2011) and 15 to 25% for dogs (Laflamme 1997b; (Kealy et al. 2002), which corresponds better to the
Kealy et al. 2002) optimal BCS found by Mawby et al. 2004. The ideal BCS
should therefore be between 4/9 and 5/9.
Cats Studies have shown that neutered cats are at
risk of accumulating more fat than intact cats (Fettman The main objective of most studies validating the BCS
et al. 1997; Harper et al. 2001; Kanchuk et al. 2002) and was to provide a practical tool for accurately assessing
normal weight inactive neutered cats could have obesity (Laflamme ’1997a & b; Mawby et al. 2004;
relatively less lean body mass (Bjornvad et al. 2011). Bjornvad et al. 2011). This resulted in a bias towards
These data suggest that for neutered inactive cats a higher body weights and %BF; scores at the lower end
BCS of 4/9 may be optimal rather than the 5/9 score of the scale being either absent or underrepresented
which is optimal for intact more active cats. (Laflamme 1997a & b; Mawby et al. 2004; Bjornvad et
al. 2011). In addition, scores at the lower end of the BCS
Dogs Based on a 14 year study with Labrador dogs, are confounded by muscle atrophy (Baez et al. 2007;
Kealy et al. found that restricted feeding was associated Michel et al. 2011). Recently a 4-scale muscle mass

Publication May 2017 49/100