BODY

CONDITION
SCORE CHARTS
Cat and small dog

W E I G H T M A N A G E M E N T P R O G R A M M E

royalcanin royalcanin
.ie .co.uk
 BODY CONDITION SCORE - CAT

Marketsquare - © ROYAL CANIN SAS 2013 - All rights reserved. Adapted from Laflamme D. Development and validation of a body condition score system for cats: a clinical tool. Feline practice volume 25 N° 5-6, 1997
TOO THIN
• Ribs, spine and • Ribs easily visible on • Ribs visible on
pelvic bones­easily visible shorthaired cats shorthaired cats

1 2 3
on shorthaired cats • Very narrow waist • Obvious waist
• Very narrow waist • Loss of muscle mass • Very small amount
• Small amount of muscle • No palpable fat on of abdominal fat
• No palpable fat on the rib cage • Marked abdominal tuck
the rib cage • Very pronounced
• Severe abdominal tuck abdominal tuck

IDEAL OVERWEIGHT

• Ribs not visible • Well proportioned • Ribs not visible

but are easily palpable but palpable

4 5 6
• Ribs not visible
• Obvious waist but are easily palpable • Waist not clearly defined
• Minimal amount • Obvious waist when seen from above
of abdominal fat • Small amount of • Very slight abdominal tuck
abdominal fat
• Slight abdominal tuck

OBESE

• Ribs difficult to palpate • Ribs not palpable • Ribs not palpable under
under the fat under the fat a thick layer of fat

7 8 9
• Waist barely visible • Waist not visible • Waist absent
• No abdominal tuck
• Slight abdominal • Obvious abdominal
• Rounding of abdomen with distension distension
moderate abdominal pad
• Extensive abdominal
fat deposits

W E I G H T M A N A G E M E N T P R O G R A M M E
 BODY CONDITION SCORE - SMALL DOG

TOO THIN
• Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, • Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, • Ribs easily palpable
pelvic bones and all bony and pelvic bones easily and may be visible with

1 2 3

Marketsquare - © ROYAL CANIN SAS 2013 - All rights reserved. Adapted from Laflamme D.Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs. Canine practice vol 22,n°4, 1997
prominences evident from visible no palpable fat
a distance • No palpable fat •Tops of lumber vertebrae
• No discernible body fat • Some bony prominences visible, pelvic bones
• Obvious loss of muscle visible from a distance becoming prominent
mass • Minimal loss of muscle • Obvious waist and
mass abdominal tuck

IDEAL OVERWEIGHT

• Ribs easily palpable with • Ribs palpable without • Ribs palpable with slight
minimal fat covering excess fat covering excess of fat covering

4 5
• Waist easily noted when • Waist observed behind
viewed from above ribs when viewed from
• Abdominal tuck evident above
• Abdomen tucked up
when viewed from side
6
• Waist is discernible when
viewed from above
but is not prominent
• Abdominal tuck apparent

OBESE

• Ribs palpable with • Ribs not palpable under • Massive fat deposits over
difficulty, heavy fat cover very heavy fat cover or thorax, spine, and base
palpable only with of tail

7 8 9
• Noticeable fat deposits over
lumbar area and base of tail significant­ pressure • Waist and abdominal
• Heavy fat deposits over tuck absent
• Waist absent or barely
lumbar area and base of tail
visible • Fat deposits on neck and
• Waist absent limbs
• Abdominal tuck may be
absent • No abdominal tuck • Obvious abdominal
• Obvious abdominal distension
distension may be present

W E I G H T M A N A G E M E N T P R O G R A M M E
 BODY CONDITION SCORE - SMALL DOG

TOO THIN

• Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, • Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, • Ribs easily palpable

1 2 3

Marketsquare - © ROYAL CANIN SAS 2013 - All rights reserved. Adapted from Laflamme D.Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs. Canine practice vol 22,n°4, 1997
pelvic bones and all bony and pelvic bones easily and may be visible with
prominences evident from visible no palpable fat
a distance • No palpable fat •Tops of lumber vertebrae
• No discernible body fat • Some bony prominences visible, pelvic bones
• Obvious loss of muscle visible from a distance becoming prominent
mass • Minimal loss of muscle • Obvious waist and
mass abdominal tuck

IDEAL OVERWEIGHT

• Ribs easily palpable with • Ribs palpable without • Ribs palpable with slight

4 5
minimal fat covering excess fat covering
• Waist easily noted when • Waist observed behind
viewed from above ribs when viewed from
• Abdominal tuck evident above
• Abdomen tucked up
when viewed from side
6
excess of fat covering
• Waist is discernible when
viewed from above
but is not prominent
• Abdominal tuck apparent

OBESE

• Ribs palpable with • Ribs not palpable under • Massive fat deposits over
difficulty, heavy fat cover very heavy fat cover or thorax, spine, and base
palpable only with of tail

7 8 9
• Noticeable fat deposits over
lumbar area and base of tail significant­ pressure • Waist and abdominal
• Waist absent or barely • Heavy fat deposits over tuck absent
visible lumbar area and base of tail • Fat deposits on neck and
• Waist absent limbs
• Abdominal tuck may be
absent • No abdominal tuck • Obvious abdominal
• Obvious abdominal distension
distension may be present

W E I G H T M A N A G E M E N T P R O G R A M M E
BODY
CONDITION
SCORE CHARTS
Medium, large and giant dog

W E I G H T M A N A G E M E N T P R O G R A M M E

royalcanin royalcanin
.ie .co.uk
 BODY CONDITION SCORE - MEDIUM DOG

TOO THIN
• Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, • Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, • Ribs easily palpable

1 2 3
pelvic bones and all bony and pelvic bones easily and may be visible with

Marketsquare - © ROYAL CANIN SAS 2013 - All rights reserved. Adapted from Laflamme D.Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs. Canine practice vol 22,n°4, 1997
prominences evident from visible no palpable fat
a distance • No palpable fat •Tops of lumber vertebrae
• No discernible body fat • Some bony prominences visible, pelvic bones
• Obvious loss of muscle visible from a distance becoming prominent
mass • Minimal loss of muscle • Obvious waist and
mass abdominal tuck

IDEAL OVERWEIGHT
• Ribs easily palpable with • Ribs palpable without • Ribs palpable with slight
minimal fat covering excess fat covering excess of fat covering

4 5
• Waist easily noted when • Waist observed behind
viewed from above ribs when viewed from
• Abdominal tuck evident above
• Abdomen tucked up
when viewed from side
6
• Waist is discernible when
viewed from above
but is not prominent
• Abdominal tuck apparent

OBESE
• Ribs palpable with • Ribs not palpable under • Massive fat deposits over
difficulty, heavy fat cover very heavy fat cover or thorax, spine, and base

7 8 9
• Noticeable fat deposits over palpable only with of tail
lumbar area and base of tail significant­ pressure • Waist and abdominal
• Heavy fat deposits over tuck absent
• Waist absent or barely
lumbar area and base of tail
visible • Fat deposits on neck and
• Waist absent limbs
• Abdominal tuck may be
absent • No abdominal tuck • Obvious abdominal
• Obvious abdominal distension
distension may be present

W E I G H T M A N A G E M E N T P R O G R A M M E
 BODY CONDITION SCORE - LARGE DOG

TOO THIN
• Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, • Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, • Ribs easily palpable

1 2 3
pelvic bones and all bony and pelvic bones easily and may be visible with

Marketsquare - © ROYAL CANIN SAS 2013 - All rights reserved. Adapted from Laflamme D.Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs. Canine practice vol 22,n°4, 1997
prominences evident from visible no palpable fat
a distance • No palpable fat •Tops of lumber vertebrae
• No discernible body fat • Some bony prominences visible, pelvic bones
• Obvious loss of muscle visible from a distance becoming prominent
mass • Minimal loss of muscle • Obvious waist and
mass abdominal tuck

IDEAL OVERWEIGHT

• Ribs easily palpable with • Ribs palpable without • Ribs palpable with slight
minimal fat covering excess fat covering excess of fat covering

4 5
• Waist easily noted when • Waist observed behind
viewed from above ribs when viewed from
• Abdominal tuck evident above
• Abdomen tucked up
when viewed from side
6
• Waist is discernible when
viewed from above
but is not prominent
• Abdominal tuck apparent

OBESE

• Ribs palpable with • Ribs not palpable under • Massive fat deposits over
difficulty, heavy fat cover very heavy fat cover or thorax, spine, and base

7 8 9
• Noticeable fat deposits over palpable only with of tail
lumbar area and base of tail significant­ pressure • Waist and abdominal
• Waist absent or barely • Heavy fat deposits over tuck absent
visible lumbar area and base of tail • Fat deposits on neck and
• Waist absent limbs
• Abdominal tuck may be
absent • No abdominal tuck • Obvious abdominal
• Obvious abdominal distension
distension may be present

W E I G H T M A N A G E M E N T P R O G R A M M E
 BODY CONDITION SCORE - GIANT DOG

TOO THIN
• Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, • Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, • Ribs easily palpable

1 2 3
pelvic bones and all bony and pelvic bones easily and may be visible with

Marketsquare - © ROYAL CANIN SAS 2013 - All rights reserved. Adapted from Laflamme D.Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs. Canine practice vol 22,n°4, 1997
prominences evident from visible no palpable fat
a distance • No palpable fat •Tops of lumber vertebrae
• No discernible body fat • Some bony prominences visible, pelvic bones
• Obvious loss of muscle visible from a distance becoming prominent
mass • Minimal loss of muscle • Obvious waist and
mass abdominal tuck

IDEAL OVERWEIGHT

• Ribs easily palpable with • Ribs palpable without • Ribs palpable with slight
minimal fat covering excess fat covering excess of fat covering

4 5
• Waist easily noted when • Waist observed behind
viewed from above ribs when viewed from
• Abdominal tuck evident above
• Abdomen tucked up
when viewed from side
6
• Waist is discernible when
viewed from above
but is not prominent
• Abdominal tuck apparent

OBESE

• Ribs palpable with • Ribs not palpable under • Massive fat deposits over
difficulty, heavy fat cover very heavy fat cover or thorax, spine, and base

7 8 9
• Noticeable fat deposits over palpable only with of tail
lumbar area and base of tail significant­ pressure • Waist and abdominal
• Heavy fat deposits over tuck absent
• Waist absent or barely
lumbar area and base of tail • Fat deposits on neck and
visible
• Waist absent limbs
• Abdominal tuck may be
absent • No abdominal tuck • Obvious abdominal
• Obvious abdominal distension
distension may be present

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