Epiphyseal closure of the paca's thoracic limbs long bones (Agouti paca, Linnaeus, 1766)

• Grant number: 13/25290-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2014
• End date: February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Fabrício Singaretti de Oliveira
• Grantee: Rachel Galeno de Souza Oliveira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The epiphyseal cartilage´s time of closure varies according to each bone, some can close during intrauterine life, while some can persist for many years. The aim of this research is to exam, through radiography, the thoracic long bone limbs (radius, ulna and humerus) of paca, the second largest Brazilian rodent, and an animal that has gained recent large scientific concern in many studies, correlating the epiphyseal closure to the animal´s age. For these aims, 8 animals will be used, or the maximum of animals that may come into life during the research, which will be avaliated with radiographs monthly from its birth until the age of 12 months or its thoracic long bones limbs closure. The animals will be sedated with meperidine (2.5mg/kg) and diazepam (0.5 mg/kg) with intramuscular injection, and anaesthesiated with ketamine (20mg/kg) and xylazine (1.5mg/kg). The radiographs will be analyzed from the youngest to the oldest animal, and its long bone limbs will be analyzed according to its epiphyseal closure.