Canine Body Scoring For The American Pit Bull Terrier

1 Very Underweight 2 Underweight 3 Ideal 4 Overweight  5 Very Overweight

When an American Pit Bull Terrier is taken to the veterinarian’s office, the technicians use a body scoring chart as one means of determining the health of the  American Pit Bull Terrier. It is valuable to know the body scoring system and how it applies to the American Pit Bull Terrier. This system can be used to judge the growth of the American Pit Bull Terrier. It can also help one understand when their American Pit Bull Terrier is eating too little or too much. An American Pit Bull Terrier with a score of one is considered very underweight. Ribs are obviously visible, with no fat over them. The base of the tail is noticeable with raised, bony structure between the skin and bone, no tissue. The bone is as easily seen as felt. At six months of age or older, the pit bull dog has an extreme abdominal pull when viewed from the side, an hourglass like form when seen from above. An American Pit Bull Terrier in this condition is in very poor health. A score of two signifies an American Pit Bull Terrier is underweight. The least amount of fat covers the ribs, as they are still clearly seen. The base of the tail has a lifted bony structure, with scant tissue between skin and bone. Bony protuberances are readily observed. At six months of age or older, the American Pit Bull Terrier shows an abdominal tuck when viewed from the side and an hourglass form when inspected from above. An American Pit Bull Terrier in this state is in poor health. When an American Pit Bull Terrier is graded a three it is in ideal shape. Ribs are readily felt, with a slight layer of fat. The base of the tail is smoothly shaped and the bony structures are readily felt. Bony protrusions are readily felt as they have a thin fat layer. When viewed from the side, the American Pit Bull Terrier has a slight abdominal tuck and a well proportioned waist when viewed from above. An American Pit Bull Terrier that is deemed a four it is overweight. The ribs are difficult to feel, due to modest fat cover. The base of the tail has noticeable thickening, with modest amounts of tissue between the skin and bone. Bony structures can still be felt. At six months of age, the American Pit Bull Terrier has little or no abdominal tuck when examined from the side. Likewise, there is no waist when viewed from above. A American Pit Bull Terrier in this state is in poor health. A score of five is given to an American Pit Bull Terrier that is very overweight. Ribs are very difficult to feel, due to a prominent layer of fat. The base of the tail appears thickened and is tough to feel under a prominent layer of fat. Bony protrusions are sheethed by a moderate to thick layer of fat.  The American Pit Bull Terrier has an abdominal bulge when viewed from the side and no waist when inspected from above. An American Pit Bull Terrier in this condition is in very poor health. The body scoring system has been in use by veterinarians for many years, it is only lately that it has become a keyword on dog food labels. The American Pit Bull Terrier’s appearance is the beginning of ascertaining its health. Ideal hair and skin conditions indicate good health internally. There are numerous factors that determine the health of an American Pit Bull Terrier, which makes consultation with a licensed veterinarian essential. This professional can aid with choosing the right dog food and other medical needs of your American Pit Bull Terrier.

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