Radiographic anatomy of epiphyseal closure of the paca's thoracic limbs long bones (Agouti paca, Linnaeus, 1766): study among 12th and 24th month-old animals

• Grant number: 15/07475-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Fabrício Singaretti de Oliveira
• Grantee: Isabella Cristina de Castro Lippi
• 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, which will be evaluated with radiographs monthly from the 12th to the 24th month of life or when the epiphyseal closure of humerus, radius and ulna happens, due those epiphyses are still open in the first year of animal's life. 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.