WSAVA Veterinary Diagnostic Tool
Pet Weight Assessment Tool
Because pet breeds vary wildly in frame size, numbers on a scale aren't enough. Use our official WSAVA 9-point Body Condition Score (BCS) calculator to evaluate your dog or cat accurately.
Evaluate Your Pet's Body
Drag the slider from 1 (Underweight) to 9 (Severely Obese).
Emaciated (1)
Ideal (5)
Severely Obese (9)
5
Ideal Weight
Ribs easily palpable without excess fat covering. Waist observed behind ribs when viewed from above. Abdominal tuck evident when viewed from the side.
How to Check BCS
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1The Rib Check: Place thumbs on the spine and fingers over the ribs. You should feel ribs with gentle pressure (like feeling the back of your hand).
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2The Profile View: View your pet standing from the side. Look for an upward abdominal tuck behind the ribcage.
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3The Overhead View: Look down from above to see an hourglass waist. For cats, also check the abdominal fat pad.
Risks of Pet Obesity & Sudden Crash Diets
A BCS of 7 to 9 means your pet carries 20% to 40%+ excess body weight, increasing risk of:
- Osteoarthritis and painful joint degeneration
- Type 2 Diabetes (especially in overweight felines)
- Feline Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver): Rapid starvation diets in obese cats can trigger fatal liver failure. Always decrease food gradually!
Need a Vet Caloric Meal Plan?
Calculate exact daily food portions and RER calories based on your pet's BCS score.
Open Food Portion Calculator