TITLE:
Foreleg Bending in Blue Foxes (Vulpes lagopus) as Evaluated by Radiography
AUTHORS:
Hannu T. Korhonen, Pekka Eskeli, Hanna Huuki, Juhani Sepponen
KEYWORDS:
Vulpes lagopus, Foot Welfare, Moving Difficulties, Feet Bending, Blue Fox
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Veterinary Medicine,
Vol.5 No.3,
March
11,
2015
ABSTRACT: The aim was to compare radiographic X-ray data to foreleg bending, moving difficulties and body size in juvenile blue foxes. Experimental groups were: 1) restricted feeding, Ca:P ratio 1.5:1 (R 1); 2) restricted feeding, Ca:P ratio 2.9:1 (R 2); 3) restricted feeding Ca:P ratio 2.0:1 control level (R 3); 4) ad libitum feeding, Ca:P ratio 1.5:1 (AL 1); 5) ad libitum feeding, Ca:P ratio 2.9:1 (AL 2); 6) ad libitum feeding Ca:P ratio 2.0:1 control level (AL 3). Moving difficulties and foreleg bending were evaluated in live animals. At pelting, left foreleg was removed. X-ray pictures were taken from lateral views. Dimensions of ulna and radius were measured from the X-ray pictures. Conditions of carpal joint and elbow joint were visually evaluated. The results showed that final body weight was affected by feeding intensity (P = 0.001). Ad libitum fed animals had more moving difficulties compared to restricted ones (P = 0.001). The Ca:P ratio tended (P = 0.06) to have an effect on feet bending. Bending was greatest in low Ca:P ratio (1.5:1) and, correspondingly, least in high Ca:P ratio (2.9:1). Moving difficulties were most common in heaviest animals. The moving difficulties tended (P = 0.07) to be positively related to feet bending. Maximum width of ulna was lowest in low Ca:P ratio diet (1.5:1). Bending was negatively correlated with maximum width of ulna. It can be concluded that low Ca:P ratio in the diet (1.5:1) increases foreleg bending in juveniles. Moving difficulties are related to foreleg bending and high body weight.