CANINE BODY CONDITION SCORE (BCS)
UNDERWEIGHT IDEAL WEIGHT OVERWEIGHT
Muscle wasting expected Muscle mass dependent on age, activity level, and overall health
Marked Obvious Well-proportioned waist Waist less Waist
hourglass figure hourglass figure viewed from above discernable absent
Marked Moderate Well-proportioned Abdominal No abdominal tuck,
abdominal tuck abdominal tuck abdominal tuck tuck minimal abdominal distention present
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Ribs visible from Ribs visible Ribs may be Ribs minimally Ribs not visible, Ribs palpable Ribs palpable Ribs palpable only Ribs not palpable
a distance under under shorthair, visible under visible, easy to easy to palpate under mild fat with difficulty with significant under marked fat
shorthair, no no palpable shorthair, no palpate with with minimal fat covering under pressure under deposits
palpable body fat fat palpable fat minimal fat covering moderate fat marked fat
cover covering deposits
Palpated over spine, scapula,
MUSCLE CONDITION SCORE (MCS) Mild fat deposits Moderate fat Marked fat
skull and pelvis Physical assessment of patient’s muscle mass over lumbar area deposits over deposit over
and tail base lumbar area and spine including
NORMAL MILD MODERATE SEVERE tail base the neck and tail
muscle mass muscle loss muscle loss muscle loss base
The 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight
Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats
are available at aaha.org/nutrition.
©AAHA. Images ©Lauren D. Sawchyn, MSMI, DVM, CMI
and AAHA/Sadie Lewandowski
FELINE BODY CONDITION SCORE (BCS)
UNDERWEIGHT IDEAL WEIGHT OVERWEIGHT
Muscle wasting expected Muscle mass dependent on age, activity level, and overall health
Marked Obvious Well-proportioned waist Waist less Waist
hourglass figure hourglass figure viewed from above discernable absent
Marked Moderate Well-proportioned Abdominal No abdominal tuck,
abdominal tuck abdominal tuck abdominal tuck tuck minimal abdominal distention present
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Ribs visible from Ribs visible Ribs may be Ribs minimally Ribs not visible, Ribs palpable Ribs palpable Ribs palpable only Ribs not palpable
a distance under under shorthair, visible under visible, easy to easy to palpate under mild fat with difficulty with significant under marked fat
shorthair, no no palpable shorthair, no palpate with with minimal fat covering under pressure under deposits
palpable body fat fat palpable fat minimal fat covering moderate fat marked fat
cover covering deposits
Palpated over spine, scapula,
MUSCLE CONDITION SCORE (MCS) Mild fat deposits Moderate fat Marked fat
skull and pelvis Physical assessment of patient’s muscle mass over lumbar area deposits over deposit over
and tail base lumbar area and spine including
NORMAL MILD MODERATE SEVERE tail base the neck and tail
muscle mass muscle loss muscle loss muscle loss base
The 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight
Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats
are available at aaha.org/nutrition.
©AAHA. Images ©Lauren D. Sawchyn, MSMI, DVM, CMI
