Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Estimating weight loss from body condition score in obese dogs
By German, A J et al.Ā·Published in Research in veterinary scienceĀ·2009Ā·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United KingdomĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Use of starting condition score to estimate changes in body weight and composition during weight loss in obese dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 28 obese dogs was studied to see how well their starting body condition score (BCS) could predict their weight loss during a diet. The dogs lost about 10% of their starting weight for each unit of BCS above the ideal, but the actual weight loss varied widely among them. While the BCS can give a rough idea of how much weight a dog should lose, it may not always be accurate. This means that pet owners should work closely with their veterinarian to determine the best weight loss goals for their dogs.
People also search for: dog weight loss program Ā· how to estimate dog ideal weight Ā· dog body condition score guide
Abstract
Prior to starting a weight loss programme, target weight (TW) is often estimated, using starting body condition score (BCS). The current study assessed how well such estimates perform in clinical practice. Information on body weight, BCS and body composition was assessed before and after weight loss in 28 obese, client-owned dogs. Median decrease in starting weight per BCS unit was 10% (5-15%), with no significant difference between dogs losing moderate (1-2 BCS points) or marked (3-4 BCS points) amounts of weight (P=0.627). Mean decrease in body fat per BCS unit change was 5% (3-9%). A model based on a change of 10% of starting weight per unit of BCS above ideal (5/9) most closely estimated actual TW, but marked variability was seen. Therefore, although such calculations may provide a guide to final TW in obese dogs, they can either over- or under-estimate the appropriate end point of weight loss.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19303120/