2018 Volume 21 Issue 2 Pages 95-101
The body condition score（BCS）system is used by veterinary practitioners worldwide for the assessment of the nutritional status of small animals. The BCS is a subjective method performed by visual observation and palpation, and results can vary among observers. For this reason, we developed a canine BCS palpation model and reported its effectiveness in minimizing the inter-observer variability. In the present study, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of the improved version of the model among veterinarians and dog owners. The majority of the veterinarians perceived that the palpation feeling of the BCS model was in good agreement with actual patients. We also found that although most veterinarians were routinely performing BCS assessment and communicating the results to owners, however,most dog owners did not know about BCS. Thus, the BCS model is likely useful as a communication tool between veterinarians and owners during nutritional consultation. This is especially important given the high prevalence of obesity among pet dogs.
