CASTIELLO, ERICA (2024) Radiographic Age Estimation in Puppies: A New Method Based on the Growth of Secondary Ossification Centers in the Appendicular Skeleton. [Tesi di dottorato]
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| Tipologia del documento: | Tesi di dottorato |
|---|---|
| Lingua: | English |
| Titolo: | Radiographic Age Estimation in Puppies: A New Method Based on the Growth of Secondary Ossification Centers in the Appendicular Skeleton |
| Autori: | Autore Email CASTIELLO, ERICA erica.castiello@unina.it |
| Data: | 11 Dicembre 2024 |
| Numero di pagine: | 51 |
| Istituzione: | Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II |
| Dipartimento: | Medicina Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali |
| Dottorato: | Scienze veterinarie |
| Ciclo di dottorato: | 37 |
| Coordinatore del Corso di dottorato: | nome email DE GIROLAMO, PAOLO paolo.degirolamo@unina.it |
| Tutor: | nome email GRECO, ADELAIDE [non definito] |
| Data: | 11 Dicembre 2024 |
| Numero di pagine: | 51 |
| Parole chiave: | age; estimation; puppies; appendicular; skeleton |
| Settori scientifico-disciplinari del MIUR: | Area 07 - Scienze agrarie e veterinarie > VET/09 - Clinica chirurgica veterinaria |
| Informazioni aggiuntive: | 37° CICLO DI DOTTORATO DI RICERCA IN SCIENZE VETERINARIE |
| Depositato il: | 30 Gen 2025 06:30 |
| Ultima modifica: | 12 Ago 2026 05:38 |
| URI: | https://www.fedoa.unina.it/id/eprint/16489 |
Abstract
Since the rise in the acquisition of small and toy breed puppies and their illegal trafficking with falsified documentation across Europe, stronger legislation and the development of strategies to improve the traceability of illegal imports and identify the animals are required. The two primary techniques currently used to determine the age of puppies rely on the evaluation of dentition (tooth eruption and wear) and the appearance and closure of ossification centers. However, these techniques have significant limitations due to breed variability and external factors (such as nutritional and pathological conditions), making them unreliable in legal proceedings. This study aims to evaluate the correlation between age and growth of the distal radius ossification center (DROC) to establish an accurate method for determining the age of puppies. This longitudinal study involved an in vivo sample of small, medium, and large-sized animals, which were examined bi-weekly from day 7° to 4 months of age, and an ex vivo sample subjected to a single radiographic examination. Radiographic images in mediolateral and craniocaudal projections of the right forelimb were analyzed, measuring the DROC’s height, width, thickness, area, and volume. Statistical analysis showed a positive correlation between ossification center growth and the age of subjects, especially evident in thickness within logarithmic regression models. A formula was proposed to calculate age, with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 8.93 days and a Standard Deviation (SD) of 1.40. DROC width within the logarithmic model could serve as a reliable method for estimating the age of puppies within their first few weeks, with reasonable accuracy, and could be a valuable tool in the effort to combat illegal puppy trafficking within the European community.
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