Our Philosophy
Back to the Basic — what it means and why it matters
"Before the algorithm, before the sequencer — look at the patient."
In an era of precision diagnostics, it is easy to forget that the most powerful nutritional assessment tool is an attentive clinician with a standardized scoring system. That is the essence of Back to the Basic.
BCS & MCS: The Foundation
Body Condition Score (BCS) is a 5- or 9-point scale that quantifies fat deposition relative to bony landmarks. A patient's BCS tells us immediately whether we are managing obesity, ideal weight, or cachexia — each requiring a completely different nutritional strategy.
Muscle Condition Score (MCS) — assessed by palpating the epaxial, scapular, temporal, and pelvic musculature — captures lean body mass independent of body fat. A patient can be overweight (high BCS) yet simultaneously sarcopenic (low MCS), a combination that dramatically alters both caloric and protein targets.
Together, BCS and MCS are non-invasive, inexpensive, and reproducible. They are not replaced by DEXA scanning or microbiome sequencing — they are complemented by them.
BCS 9-Point Scale (overview)
* MCS uses a 0–3 scale (0 = severe muscle loss, 3 = normal muscle mass) assessed by palpation.
How We Think About Nutrition
Measure First, Prescribe Second
Every nutritional intervention begins with BCS (Body Condition Score) and MCS (Muscle Condition Score). These validated, low-tech tools are the most honest reflection of an animal's nutritional status — no lab test required.
Evidence Over Anecdote
Commercial claims are abundant; peer-reviewed evidence is not. We design every feeding recommendation from primary literature and our own controlled data, not brand messaging.
Individual Before Population
Population-level guidelines are a starting point, not an endpoint. Using microbiome profiling and metabolomics, we tailor plans to the individual patient's physiology.
Iterate, Monitor, Adapt
A diet plan is a hypothesis. We track BCS, MCS, biomarkers, and owner-reported outcomes, continuously refining based on real-world response rather than fixed protocols.
See the Philosophy in Practice
Explore our research areas to see how these principles translate into NGS-powered microbiome studies, metabolomic biomarker discovery, and controlled clinical trials.
Explore Research