A 13-year-old, neutered-male, Domestic Shorthair
Muscle Condition Assessment
The 4-point muscle condition scoring system, available for both cats and dogs, is a practical, hands-on evaluation that can be performed by veterinary health care professionals and pet owners to regularly monitor a pet’s muscle mass. When used in conjunction with body weight and body condition score (BCS), muscle condition score (MCS) can offer a clearer picture of a dog’s or cat’s body composition, muscle-to-fat ratio and nutritional status.
"You are probably aware that we weigh [pet's name] as part of every physical examination. Body weight gives us only part of the picture about your pet’s body composition and nutritional status. We also evaluate your pet's body condition and muscle condition, recording these in your pet's medical record so we can monitor for changes over time. Loss of muscle and lean body mass can be associated with aging, and although we cannot prevent age-related loss of lean body tissues, we can switch [pet's name] to a higher protein diet to help slow it down."
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