NUTRITIONAL & CLINICAL ASSESSMENTS
NUTRITIONAL & CLINICAL ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Resources to help evaluate a pet's current nutrition and guide nutrition recommendations.
Nutritional Assessment
Nutritional Assessment Is an Iterative Process: Screening Evaluation
Each dog and cat can benefit from a nutritional recommendation ꟷ a recommendation that clients say they want, including for their healthy pets. To make an appropriate recommendation, however, it is necessary to perform a nutritional assessment. Steps in performing a nutritional assessment include evaluating the patient, the diet, feeding management and environmental factors; making a specific nutritional recommendation; and reassessing the patient and recommendation as needed.
NUTRITIONAL & CLINICAL ASSESSMENTS
Studies show pet owners consider the veterinary health care team to be the primary — and often the most important — source of nutrition information.
Key Messages
- A screening nutritional assessment can be easily integrated into existing clinic protocols for patient consultations or appointments. A good physical examination already includes many components of a screening evaluation.
- A screening nutritional assessment includes:
- Body weight
- Body condition score
- Muscle condition score
- Complete diet history
- Abnormalities identified during physical examination
- A healthy pet without nutritional risk factors needs no further nutritional assessment, just a nutritional recommendation. However, an extended nutritional assessment is necessary if a patient has one or more nutritional risk factors, such as a medical condition, an abnormal body condition or muscle condition score, or is consuming an unconventional diet (e.g., home-cooked or raw diet).
- Before making a nutritional recommendation, evaluate the existing diet, feeding methods and environment to determine appropriateness for the pet. Consider the answers to these and other questions:
- Is the diet nutritionally complete and balanced?
- Given the pet’s estimated maintenance energy requirement, is the current amount of food and treats provided appropriate?
- Do calories from treats, human foods or supplements represent more than 10% of the total daily calories?
- Is food provided in measured amounts, regardless of whether the pet is fed free choice or meals?
- Does the pet have to compete for food within a multi-pet home?
- The nutritional or dietary evaluation and recommendation should include the pet’s main food, treats, table food, feeding method, frequency and location. If no changes are needed, let the owner know, as this provides positive reinforcement of what the owner is doing. Whether or not changes are needed, be sure to document the specific recommendation in the pet’s medical record.
NUTRITIONAL & CLINICAL ASSESSMENTS
"As part of [pet’s name] medical history, we would like to gather some information about [his/her] diet. Would you please tell me about everything [pet’s name] eats during a normal day, starting from first thing in the morning and ending at bedtime?"
Related Tools and Content:
Use Muscle Condition Scoring to Detect Muscle Loss in Patients
Muscle condition scoring is a hands-on method for evaluating lean body mass that can be used as part of nutritional assessments.
Taking a Good Diet History
The only way to know what each patient really eats is to ask ꟷ and document the information in the medical record.
Nutritional Assessment Is an Iterative Process: Extended Evaluation
An extended nutritional evaluation is important for pets at risk for nutrition-related problems.
How to Perform a Body Condition Assessment - Cat
Assess a cat's Body Condition Score in just 3 simple steps.
How to Perform a Body Condition Assessment - Dog
Assess a dog's Body Condition Score in just 3 simple steps.
WSAVA Canine Muscle Condition Score Chart
A simple visual guide to help assess muscle mass in dogs.
WSAVA Feline Muscle Condition Score Chart
A simple visual guide to help assess muscle mass in cats.
To Share With Pet Owner:
Evaluating Your Cat’s Body Condition
Assess your cat's Body Condition in just 3 simple steps.
Evaluating Your Dog’s Body Condition
Assess your dog's Body Condition in just 3 simple steps.
Canine Body Condition System Sheet
A visual aid to the Purina Body Condition Score System for dogs.
Feline Body Condition System Sheet
A visual aid to the Purina Body Condition Score System for cats.
Additional Resources
Freeman, L., Becvarova, I., Cave, N., MacKay, C., Nguyen, P., Rama, B., Takashima, G., Tiffin, R., Tsjimoto, H., & van Beukelen, P. (2011). WSAVA nutritional assessment guidelines. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 52(7), 385─396. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2011.01079.x
Kealy, R. D., Lawler, D. F., Ballam, J. M., Mantz, S. L., Biery, D. N., Greeley, E. H., Lust, G., Segre, M., Smith, G. K., & Stowe, H. D. (2002). Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 220(9), 1315─1320. doi: 10.2460/javma.2002.220.1315
Laflamme, D. P. (1997). Development and validation of a body condition score system for cats: A clinical tool. Feline Practice 25(5-6), 13-18.
Laflamme, D. P. (1997). Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs. Canine Practice, 22(4), 10-15.
Laflamme, D. P., Abood, S. K., Fascetti, A. J., Fleeman, L. M., Freeman, L. M., Michel, K. E., Bauer, C., Kemp, B. L., Doren, J. R., & Willoughby, K. N. (2008). Pet feeding practices of dog and cat owners in the United States and Australia. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 232(5), 687─694. doi: 10.2460/javma.232.5.687
Ness, K., & Cameron, K. (2020). Pet owners beg for nutrition advice. Today’s Veterinary Business, 4(4), 26─27.
Schleicher, M., Cash, S. B., & Freeman, L. M. (2019). Determinants of pet food purchasing decisions. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 60(6), 644─650.