Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

In the clinical assessment of dogs, or in rehabilitation plans, the evaluation of body condition score (BCS) is a part of assessing the dog’s health and nutritional status. However, BCS is not sufficient as a measuring tool as it is subjective. When creating a weight loss plan for fat loss or a rehabilitation plan for muscle gain, there is a need to establish the baseline and evaluate if the goals are met at follow-up appointments. There are several validated methods to assess fat mass/lean mass in dogs, however, most of these methods are not applicable for a clinical setting. Thus, there is a need for a reliable, repeatable and cost-effective method, that may help to assess the dog’s fat mass. In the human field, skinfold calipers are being used for fat mass assessment. The aim of the study was to investigate if skinfold thickness measured with a caliper, can be a useful complementary evaluation method in the clinic, for nutritional assessments of dogs. The specific objectives of the study were to evaluate intra-and inter-observer reliability of caliper measurements and to investigated the correlation to BCS in alive and dead dogs. In addition, the study investigated the potential influence of breed on the skinfold thickness in normal weight to slightly overweight individuals.

This study investigated 20 dogs of four different breeds (border collie, cavalier king Charles spaniel, French bulldog and labrador retriever) in a clinical setting. Data from this clinical study were also compared with data from another cohort where 23 dead dogs of different breeds were measured. All dogs from both cohorts were measured by caliper measurements in triplicates at three locations (the neck, the axilla and the lumbar back) by two observers in a blinded procedure.

The intra- and inter-observer reliability presented as intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC of the measurements differed for the different locations. For observer 1, intra-observer reliability was 0.965 for the neck, 0.848 at the axilla and 0.987 at the lumbar back. For observer 2, the corresponding ICC was 0.971, 0.880 and 0.972. The inter- observer reliability was analysed for the different locations and ICC at the neck was 0.899, at the axilla 0.816 and the lumbar back 0.774. The correlations of the measurements at the different locations to BCS were examined and were all significant (P-value for the neck was 0.028, for the axilla: 0.001 and for the lumbar back: 0.034). When analysing the measurements by breed, there were some differences. The border collie as a group showed significant differences in regards of thinner skinfold thickness, compared to all other breed groups in the location of the neck, as well as with the labrador group in the locations of the axilla and at the lumbar back. The cavalier group showed significant differences in the locations of the neck and lumbar back compared to the labrador group. Significant differences between breeds groups were noted in the location of the neck in 50% paired comparisons, as compared to only 17% at the axilla. In the French bulldog group, individuals measured thicker skin folds than individual border collies, which suggest that both the breed type and the size (weight and height) of the dog, may cause discrepancies.

The analyses indicated that the ICC was classified as good, however, both the dog and the examiner should be familiarised with the procedure. Measurements in triplicate would preferably be performed and used to calculate a mean value for the location. Caliper measurements may be used clinically when the dog acts as its own control, as in a follow up in a weight loss/weight gain program as the ICC was classified as good to be used within or between assessors. The analyses indicate a positive correlation between skinfold thickness and BCS in normal to slightly overweight dogs, however there is a need for further investigations regarding how breed may influence the results. Further studies containing extended sample sizes would be preferred, including also Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) comparisons. Studies on different breeds, such as brachycephalic dogs, can give an indication if skin conformity is a variable to consider when using the method in clinical practice. Further longitudinal studies should be performed, to give more information about the usefulness of the method in detecting changes in the dog’s fat and body composition over time.