The aim of this study was to measure the area of the coronary ostia, assess their localization in the coronary sinuses and to determine the morphology of the stem of the left and right coronary arteries in the domestic shorthair cat. The study was conducted on 100 hearts of domestic shorthair cats of both sexes, aged 2–18 years, with an average body weight of 4.05 kg. A morphometric analysis of the coronary ostia was carried out on 52 hearts. The remaining 48 hearts were injected with a casting material in order to carry out a morphological assessment of the left and right coronary arteries. In all the studied animals, the surface of the left coronary artery ostium was larger than the surface of the right coronary artery ostium. There were four types of the left main coronary artery: type I (23 animals, 49%)–double-branched left main stem (giving off the left circumflex branch and the interventricular paraconal branch, which in turn gave off the septal branch), type II (12 animals, 26%)–double-branched left main stem (giving off the left circumflex branch and the interventricular paraconal branch without the septal branch), type III (11 animals, 23%)–triple-branched left main stem (giving off the left circumflex branch, interventricular branch and the septal branch, type IV (1 animal, 2%)–double-branched left main stem (giving off the interventricular paraconal branch and the left circumflex branch, which in turn gave off the septal branch). The left coronary artery ostium is greater than the right one. There is considerable diversity in the branches of proximal segment of the left coronary artery, while the right coronary artery is more conservative. These results can be useful in defining the optimal strategies in the endovascular procedures involving the coronary arteries or the aortic valve in the domestic shorthair cat.

The evaluation of the structure of the spongious substance of the tibiotarsal (TT) bones of the domestic duck aged 4 to 8 wk was performed using radiological analysis. The Trabecula program (Czerwiński, 1994) used in the study identified a map of radiological trabeculae and calculated the number, average volume, density, and width of trabeculae. It was stated that the number of trabeculae differed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) variant on age, sex, and a unique fragment of the studied bone. Six-week-old hens whose TT bones were most often exposed to deformities and fractures possessed attenuated bone mass. The number of trabeculae per 1 mm(2) during breeding was the lowest (10.34 and 9.54 mm(2) in the proximal and distal epiphyses, respectively). The tibial bones of the 6-wk-old hens also possessed the lowest volume of trabeculae (44.62 and 39.84% for the proximal and distal epiphyses, respectively). Dependant variances between the BW, the number of recognized radiological trabeculae, and the volume, density, and width of trabeculae were calculated using a selected correlation and regression coefficient (r = 0.41; P ≤ 0.05). Results expounded a unique linear relationship between BW and the volume of trabeculae. Indeed, the larger the BW, the more numerous the trabeculae observed. No significant correlation was determined between the BW and the number of recognized trabeculae nor their density and width. A small number of trabeculae and the lowered density may be the cause of fractures and deformities of the TT bones of the domestic duck.

No abstract

Sex-and age-related changes of trabecular bone of tibia in growing domestic geese (Anser domesticus). Folia Biologica (Kraków) 60: 205-212. An analysis of radiological images of the spongious substance of the tibiotarsal bones in domestic goose (120 individuals) was performed for the first time. Based on radiographs obtained from radiological examinations conducted in the region of interest (80 x 90 mm) of the proximal metaphysis, an analysis of the spongious substance of the tibia was performed with the Trabecula® programme in order to construct a map of trabeculae and identify their number, volume and density. The results were evaluated statistically using two-way ANOVA. Changes in the number, volume and density of radiological trabeculae of the tibiotarsal bone (TB) in geese from 4 to 16 weeks old were observed. The lowest number (6.34 per mm), volume (1.50 % mm) and density (33.73 %) of radiological trabeculae in the proximal metaphysis of TB was reported in male geese at the age of 6weeks. Similar tendencies were observed in females as well. It should be noted that the volume and density of radiological trabeculae of the tibiotarsal bone achieved a maximum value in males 12 weeks of age, whereas in females at 8 weeks of age. An inverse relationship between body weight and the number of trabeculae in domestic geese (r =-0.28; P#0.05) was found. We also found a positive relationship between body weight and the volume of radiological trabeculae in domestic geese (r = 0.43; P#0.05). During posthatching development, from the 4th week to slaughter maturity, a decrease in relative bone mass was observed. Negative changes in the trabecular structure combined with high weight gain could lead to bone deformities and locomotor problems in the studied geese.

The study evaluated shape of the foramen magnum (FM) in dog with regard to its constitutional type (small, medium and large breeds) and morphotype (brachycephalic, mesaticephalic and dolichocephalic dogs). We used multi-slice CT scanner to examine occipital area of 138 purebreds dogs. Two studied groups could be distinguished – living animals undergoing standard diagnostic CT procedure (

For the first time computed tomography has been used to analyze densitometric and geometric parameters in proximal metaphyses and the mid-diaphyses of tibiotarsal bones in broiler chickens in posthatching development as influenced by age and sex. The research was conducted on 60 tibial bones of 2-, 4- and 6-week-old broiler chickens (Ross 308) (10 males and 10 females in each age group). Statistical analysis has been conducted with the use of one-way ANOVA and Fisher's exact test. Calculations have been performed separately for each sex, with age as a differentiation variable and separately for each of the developmental stages, with sex as a differentiation factor. Pearson's correlation coefficient have been calculated. Also, relative bone density has been determined. It was observed that volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) in the diaphyses was two times higher (app. 550 cm3) than in the proximal metaphyses (app. 230 cm ) of the tibiae in broiler chickens. In the proximal metaphyses of the tibiotarsal bones, densitometric and geometrical parameters increased with age of the birds. Densitometric parameters (vBMD, BMC) in 6-week-old males displayed (slightly) higher values than in females. It is worth emphasising that in both sexes bone mineral content (BMC) was higher in the tibial proximal metaphyses than in the diaphyses. At the mid-diaphysis, most of the densitometric and geometrical parameters, i.e. bone mineral content (BMC), Strength-Strain Index (SSI), periosteal circumference (PERI_C), endosteal circumference (ENDO_C), cortical area(CRT_A), trabecular area (TRAB_A) and bone area (TOT_A), tended to grow with the birds' age. vBMD (volumetric bone mineral density in situ) is the only parameter that did not grow with age. It was also observed that in males in 4 wk, vBMD in the proximal metaphyses displayed the lowest values during posthatching development (217.47 cm3). Also between 2 and 4 wk of the development, vBMD in the diaphyses decreased from 637.64 cm3 to 539.12 cm3, (P < or = 0.05). What is important is that vBMD and BMC are parameters that play a key role in bone mineralization. However, there was no correlation observed between them. Analysis of Pearson's correlation coefficient showed that BMC in both bone sections displayed positive correlation with all the geometric and densitometric parameters (except for vBMD). It may be concluded that vBMD is independent ofother parameters. The strongest correlations were observed between BMC and TRAB_A, and TOT_A in the proximal metaphysis, they were (r = 0.98) and (r = 0.98) respectively, P < or = 0.01, and between BMC and CRT_A at the mid-diaphysis (r = 0.99), P < or = 0.05. It was demonstrated that in the group of males, decreasing vBMD in the proximal metaphyses between 2 and 4 wk and in the diaphyses from 2 to 6 wk during posthatching development, as well as decreasing relative bone weight, from 1.03% to 0.79%, led to deformities and breaks of the tibiae, which may have a negative effect on the productivity of the broiler chickens flock.

There is not much data on the pathology of the hoof and of the distal phalanx in coldblooded horses (CH). In the present study we analysed the prevalence of certain abnormalities in hoof geometry and changes in the architecture and location of the distal phalanx related to those abnormalities in a randomly selected population of coldblooded horses. The study material comprised autopodium parts of forelimbs in CH from private animal farms (

The conservation of the common buzzard is assured by the European Union law. In Poland, this wild bird is under strict species protection and it is used as a bioindicator for heavy metals in the environment. A case of the fatal shooting of a buzzard with a firearm by an unidentified shooter is described here. Macroscopic evaluation, X-ray imaging, post-mortem computed tomography, ballistic examination of the isolated bullets and finally a simulation of the assumed position of the bird at the time of the shot were performed. Numerous pellets were found inside the body, together with multiple bone fractures and central nervous system trauma. The buzzard died most probably as a result of spinal cord injury from a single shot that was fired from a smoothbore hunting gun. Collected evidence was insufficient to identify the shooter, which sadly confirms that identification of the perpetrator in wildlife forensics remains low.