Can you estimate body composition in dogs from photographs?

BMC Veterinary Research
Poppy GantAlexander J German

Abstract

A validated method for assessing the visual characteristics of body condition from photographs (vBCS), would be a useful initial screening tool for client-owned dogs. In this retrospective study, photographs taken before and after weight loss from 155 overweight and obese dogs attending a weight management referral clinic were used in designing and testing the feasibility of vBCS. Observers with a range of experience examined the photographs, and estimated body condition indirectly (vBCS) using three different methods. In the first method (vBCSmeasured), the ratio of abdominal width to thoracic width (A:T) was measured, and cut-points used to determine body condition; the second method (iBCSsubjective) involved semi-quantitative examination using visual descriptors of BCS; the third (vBCSadjusted) was a combined approach whereby A:T ratio was first determined, and the final score modified if necessary after assessing photographs. When an experienced observer performed vBCS, there were moderate-to-good associations between body fat (measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and the three vBCS methods (median Rs: 0.51-0.75; P < 0.001), and also moderate-to-substantial agreement with actual BCS (median kappa 0.51-0.63; P < 0.0...Continue Reading

References

Jun 15, 2006·The Journal of Nutrition·Alexander J German
Jun 15, 2006·The Journal of Nutrition·Laurence ColliardGéraldine Blanchard
Jun 15, 2006·The Journal of Nutrition·Alexander J GermanJohn M Rawlings
Sep 4, 2008·Journal of Dairy Science·J M BewleyM M Schutz
Jan 14, 2009·The Veterinary Journal·Alexander J GermanVincent Biourge
Apr 21, 2010·The Journal of Small Animal Practice·E A CourcierP S Yam
Jan 1, 2014·Journal of Nutritional Science·Rebekah C Eastland-JonesLucy C Pickavance

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Citations

May 9, 2018·Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition·E G SmithK E Fowler
Aug 1, 2019·The Journal of Small Animal Practice·J CaratyC Carozzo
Jun 2, 2021·The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small Animal Practice·Meghan T RamosCynthia M Otto

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
X-ray

Software Mentioned

Excel®
RCWMC Image Archive
Stats Direct
RCWMC
vBCS

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