Name
Establishing a Body Condition Scoring System for Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps)
Date & Time
Wednesday, August 28, 2024, 9:00 AM - 9:25 AM
Abby Henry Ian Kanda Mark Mitchell Marianne Caron
Description

Bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) are a common household pet and are often seen at veterinary practices. Body condition scoring (BCS) can be difficult even in common species due to the subjective nature of BCS systems and experience of the clinician. Clinicians that are not experienced with reptilian medicine can struggle to accurately assess BCS in these animals as they do not follow the same scoring system as domestic species. To the authors’ knowledge, no BCS system has been established for bearded dragons. The objective of this study was to compare the palpated subjective BCS of bearded dragons to the length of the coelomic fat pads calculated as a percentage of total coelom length based on radiographic evidence. Additional parameters were also taken into consideration when assigning a BCS such as axillary fat pad presence, mid-body circumference, tail base circumference, snout to vent length (SVL), and tracheal fat pad appearance. Animals included in this study had to meet a minimum SVL and had a variety of health statuses.

Location Name
Studio 7 & 8
Full Address
New Orleans Marriott
555 Canal St
New Orleans, LA 70130
United States
Session Type
Lecture (25 Min)