Simple and noninvasive methods of assessing health and wellbeing are valuable when
performing clinical evaluation of rodents used in biomedical research. Body condition score
(BCS) techniques have been described for a variety of species, including mice. This method
can be a sensitive objective assessment of weight loss in animal models where organ
enlargement, ascites, or tumor development may mask weight loss. Although deposition of
fat is similar in rats and mice, the mouse BCS technique has not been characterized in rats …

2. Animal Welfare Act as Amended. 2007.7 USC § 2131-2156. 3. Office of Laboratory Animal
Welfare.[Internet]. Public health service policy on humane care and use of laboratory
animals. Frequently asked questions, F13.[Cited 16 Mar 2010]. Available at http://grants. nih.
gov/grants/olaw/faqs. htm# f13 4. Yates B, Toth L. 2010. Is it time to redefine “major operative
procedures?” J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 49: 8.