• Ribs are easily felt
• Tucked abdomen – no sagging stomach
• Waist when viewed from above

Your Pet is Overweight if…

Body Condition Scoring

There are two common body condition score (BCS) systems used by veterinarians to help determine a pet's ideal weight. One is based on a scale of 1 to 9 (1=emaciated, 9=morbidly obese) and the other is a 1 to 5 scale (1=emaciated, 5=obese). We prefer a 1 to 5 scale because of its simplicity. Whatever scale you use, be sure to ask your veterinarian to perform a BCS on your pet during each examination.

1 - Ribs, spine and bony protrusions are easily seen at a distance. These pets have lost muscle mass and there is no observable body fat. Emaciated, bony, and starved in appearance.

2 - Ribs, spine and other bones are easily felt. These pets have an obvious waist when viewed from above and an abdominal tuck. Thin, lean or skinny in appearance.

3 - Ribs and spine are easily felt but not necessarily seen. There is a waist when viewed from above and the abdomen is raised and not sagging when viewed from the side. Normal, ideal, and often muscular in appearance.

4 - Ribs and spine are hard to feel or count underneath fat deposits. Waist is distended or often pear-shaped when viewed from above. The abdomen sags when seen from the side. There are typically fat deposits on the hips, base of tail and chest. Overweight, heavy, husky or stout.

5 - Large fat deposits over the chest, back, tail base and hindquarters. The abdomen sags prominently and there is no waist when viewed from above. The chest and abdomen often appear distended or swollen. Obese.