Is your fur kid carrying extra weight?
Vets don't judge pets by the scale — they use the Body Condition Score (BCS), a 9-point hands-on check. Answer 4 questions and get your pet's score, plus what it means for the food bowl.
1. Run your flat hands along the ribcage. What do you feel?
2. Look from directly above. How does the waist look?
3. Look from the side. How does the belly line look?
4. Feel the lower back, hips and base of the tail.
Answer all 4 questions first 🐾
Body Condition Score
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Why not just weigh?
Because ideal weight varies hugely by breed and build — a "healthy" labrador and a healthy greyhound of the same weight look nothing alike. Vets instead feel and look for three landmarks: ribs, waist (from above) and belly tuck (from the side). That's exactly what this quiz checks — it's the WSAVA-style 9-point scale vets use at checkups.
Re-check once a month. Weight creeps up quietly — and for pets, a score of 6–7 today is easier to fix than 8–9 next year. For any unexplained weight change, talk to your vet.