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Educational Note
Monitoring for Ideal Body Condition The best way to determine how well your dog’s diet meets its activity level is to examine the dog’s physique. Is your dog lean? Toned and conditioned, or does it look somewhat obese or thin? Veterinary nutrition specialists advocate owners frequently monitoring their dogs' body condition and giving a body condition score. "Owners should routinely - at least once a month - body condition score their dogs," says Kathryn Michel, D.V.M., M S., assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine. "This means putting your hands on your dog and feeling its ribs. If your dog has a full coat, you should got under its coat. You want to know if you need to readjust its food intake." The Purina Body Condition System enables dog owners to evaluate their dog using a benchmark of nine body conditions, ranging from emaciated to grossly obese. "Ideal body condition should be the goal," says Ralston Purina Research Fellow Dorothy Laflamme, D,VM. Ph.D. "Once an appropriate food is selected, the amount fed and the dog's body condition and weight should be monitored. The amount of food offered should be adjusted up or down to maintain the dog in ideal condition. Laflamme developed the Purina Body Condition System using body condition measurements of healthy adult dogs obtained during feeding trials conducted at the Purina Pet Care Center in Gray Summit, Mo. The score system depicts four negative, or energy deficit, conditions and four positive, or excess energy, conditions, with ideal body condition represented in the middle. Published in 1993, the Purina Body Condition System provides a helpful tool to help dog owners determine body condition. Most important, it establishes a uniform scoring system for canine body condition. Purina Body Condition System Emaciated Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all bony prominences evident from a distance. No discernible body fat. Obvious loss of muscle mass. Very Thin Ribs, lumbar vertebrae and pelvic bones easily visible. No palpable fat. Some evidence of other bony prominence. Minimal loss of muscle mass. Thin 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. Underweight Ribs easily palpable, with minimal fat covering. Waist easily noted, viewed from above. Abdominal tuck evident. Ideal Ribs palpable without excess fat covering. Waist observed behind ribs when viewed from above. Abdomen tucked up when viewed from side. Overweight Ribs palpable with slight excess fat covering. Waist is discernable viewed from above but is not prominent. Abdominal tuck apparent. Heavy 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 absent. Obese 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. Grossly Obese Massive fat deposits over thorax, spine and base of tail. Waist and abdominal tuck absent. Fat deposits on neck and limbs. Obvious abdominal distention. Ralston Purina Company. Used with permission from Today’s Breeder. Issue 34
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