Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How body condition and hair length affect dog and cat weight estimates
By Wolf, Jacob M & Drobatz, Kenneth J·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2022·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Body condition and hair coat length impact weight estimation in dogs and cats presented to an emergency department.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at how well veterinarians and staff could estimate the weight of dogs and cats in an emergency department. They found that as dogs got heavier, the estimators often guessed too low, especially if the dog had a longer coat or a higher body condition score (meaning they were overweight). In cats, the estimators sometimes guessed too high for heavier animals. Only a small number of weight estimates were close to the actual weight, so it's important for vets to weigh pets directly whenever possible for the best care.
People also search for: why is my dog overweight · how to estimate cat weight · importance of weighing pets at the vet
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine weight estimations by veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and veterinary students to determine the accuracy of weight estimation in a veterinary emergency department. Secondary objectives included an initial evaluation of how body condition score (BCS), hair coat length, and hospital position of the estimator impacted accuracy of weight estimation. ANIMALS: 101 dogs and 28 cats that presented to the emergency department from October 17, 2017, to September 3, 2019. PROCEDURES: A written form was prospectively distributed to veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and veterinary students asking them to estimate a patient weight. Additional information about the patient, including estimated hair length and BCS, was recorded. RESULTS: As dogs' weights increased, all estimators underestimated the patients' weight. As BCS increased, dogs' weights were underestimated by veterinary students. Longer hair coat statistically significantly impacted accurate weight estimation in dogs. In cats, as BCS increased, veterinarians and veterinary nurses overestimated patient weight. Only 32% (32/101) and 20% (6/28) of weight estimations in dogs and cats, respectively, were within 10% of the patient's actual weight. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and veterinary students may not be reliable estimators of patient weight in the emergency department, especially with overweight animals. Prompt measurement of weight, if possible, is important for appropriate patient care.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36563068/