Computed tomography in the assessment of adiposity in dogs

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Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) is considered the gold standard for measuring visceral fat in humans; however, there are few studies about its application in veterinary medicine. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of CT in the quantitative assessment of subcutaneous and visceral fat in dogs undergoing whole-body examinations for diagnostic purposes. A total of 54 dogs were evaluated and classified according to body condition score (BCS) into control (BCS 4–5; n = 19), overweight (BCS 6; n = 13), and obese (BCS 7–9; n = 22) groups, and further subdivided into small-sized (≤10 kg; n = 35) and large-sized (>10 kg; n = 19) dogs. All animals underwent screening blood tests, anesthesia, and CT scanning. A strong correlation was observed among subcutaneous fat measurements at different lumbar vertebrae, with L4 showing the strongest association. Principal component analysis identified L4 as the vertebra that best explained data variability. Regression analysis revealed that body weight was the only factor significantly associated with visceral and subcutaneous fat in small-sized dogs; in large-sized dogs, no factor was statistically significant. No significant difference was observed between sexes regarding visceral fat (p > 0.05); however, large-sized males exhibited greater subcutaneous fat deposition. Age influenced subcutaneous fat only in large-sized dogs. The study demonstrates that CT is an accurate and reliable method for the morphometric assessment of obesity in dogs, enabling objective and segmental quantification of subcutaneous and visceral fat, thereby contributing to tissue compartment analysis and improving veterinary diagnosis and prognosis.
Keywords: canine obesity; subcutaneous fat; veterinary imaging; visceral.

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Published

2026-03-18

How to Cite

BALBINO, Franciele de Cássia Siqueira; MARTINS, Maristela de Oliveira e Melo; MARTINS, Acácio Wellington; AMOROSO, Lizandra. Computed tomography in the assessment of adiposity in dogs. Brazilian Animal Science/ Ciência Animal Brasileira, Goiânia, v. 27, 2026. Disponível em: https://revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/view/83372. Acesso em: 23 mar. 2026.

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Vol. 27 (2026): Continuous publication

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VETERINARY MEDICINE

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