• Cedarbrook Veterinary Care Henneke Scoring Form

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  • Overall Henneke Body Score: 

    Condition Neck Withers Shoulder Ribs Back Tailhead 

    1 Poor (extremely emaciated) 

    Bone structure easily noticeable 

    Bone structure easily noticeable 

    Bone structure easily noticeable 

    Ribs projecting prominently 

    Spinous processes projecting prominenetly 

    Tailhead, pin bones and hook bones projecting prominently 

    2 Very Thin (emaciated) 

    No fatty tissue can be felt 

    Bone structure fairly discernible 

    Bone structure fairly discernible 

    Bone structure fairly discernible 

    Ribs prominent Slight fat covering over 

    base of spinous processes. Transverse proceses of lumbar vertebrae feel rounded. Spinous processes are prominent. 

    Tailhead, pin bones and hook bones prominent 

    3 Thin 

    Neck accentuated 

    Withers accentuated 

    Shoulder accentuated 

    Slight fat cover over ribs. Ribs easily discernible. 

    Fat buildup halfway on spinous processes, but easily discernible. Traverse processes cannot be felt. 

    Tailhead prominent but individual vertebrae cannot be visually identified. Hook bones appear rounded, but are still easily discernible. Pin bones not distinguishable. 4 Moderately Thin 

    Neck not obviously thin 

    Withers not obviously thin 

    Shoulder not obviously thin 

    Faint outline of ribs discernible 

    Negative crease (peaked appearance) along back 

    Prominence depends on conformation. Fat can be felt. Hook bones not discernible. 5 Moderate 

    Neck blends smoothly into body 

    Withers rounded over spinous processes 

    Shoulder blends smoothly into body 

    Ribs cannot be visually distinguished, but can be easily felt 

    Back is level Fat around tailhead 

    beginning to feel spongy 

    6 Moderately Fleshy 

    Fat beginning to be deposited 

    Fat beginning to be deposited 

    Fat beginning to be deposited 

    Fat over ribs feels spongy 

    May have a slight positive crease (a groove) down back 

    Fat around tailhead feels soft 

    7 Fleshy 

    Fat deposited along neck 

    Fat deposited along withers 

    Fat deposited behind shoulder 

    Individual ribs can be felt, but noticeable fat filling between ribs 

    May have a positive crease down the back 

    Fat around tailhead is soft 

    8 Fat 

    Noticeable thickening of neck 

    Area along withers filled with fat 

    Area behind shoulder filled with fat 

    Difficult to feel ribs 

    Positive crease down the back 

    Fat around tailhead very soft 

    9 Extremely Fat 

    Bulging fat Bulging fat Bulging fat Patchy fat 

    appearing over ribs 

    Obvious crease down the back. Flank filled with fat. 

    Bulging fat around tailhead

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