Establishing a Body-Condition Scoring System for Central Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps)

In veterinary medicine, a body-condition score (BCS) is used as part of a physical examination; however, few BCS systems are available for captive reptiles, and none exist for the central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps). The first objective of this study was to collect body measurements and radiographs to estimate a BCS and calculate a scaled mass index (SMI) in bearded dragons. The second objective was to measure the level of correlation and agreement between the BCS and SMI. The final objective was to develop a reference interval for SMI in bearded dragons. Sixty-one privately owned bearded dragons were assessed. An initial coelomic fat body length was estimated by palpating each fat body between the cranial aspect of the rear limb and caudal aspect of the front limb and then assigned a percentage based on the length said fat bodies filled the coelomic cavity. Presence or absence of axillary fat bodies and coverage of the trachea by the oropharyngeal fat body were also measured to estimate a BCS. Additionally, each animal had the following measurements collected: weight, midbody circumference, tail base circumference, and snout–vent length. The length of the coelomic fat bodies was then calculated as a percentage of total coelom length based on radiographic measurement. An ordinal BCS scale was developed, with 1 being emaciated and 5 being obese. The palpated coelomic fat body length was highly correlated with this BCS system (r = 0.831; P < 0.001). Radiographic measurements of coelomic fat body length were also highly correlated with a BCS (r = 0.846; P < 0.001). However, limited agreement and a systematic bias were found between the two measures (P < 0.0001; intercept A = –0.09; 95% confidence interval = –0.206 to –0.026). These results support the validity of the methods chosen to assign a BCS in this study, with the final BCS system based on coelomic, axillary, and oropharyngeal fat bodies.