Abstract
This chapter addresses age determination in domestic dogs and cats through assessment of rates of physeal and ossification center appearance and closure across different breeds. Two types of data tables were created first by completing an extensive review of the published literature on physeal and ossification center appearance and closure rates and then by validating the published data with radiographs from the University of Florida: College of Veterinary Medicine’s Small Animal Hospital. The first table created was a modification of previously published data documenting the approximate ages for appearance and closure times of physes and ossification centers at each of the major body regions. The second table created was unique to this study listing physes and ossification centers at the diaphysis, distal, and proximal epiphyses, plotted against a horizontal timeline of approximate ages. Using this horizontal timeline vs. vertical anatomical axis graph, color-coded areas were created within the chart to indicate both appearance and closure times of the major physes and ossification centers. This allows for applications in both clinical and veterinary forensic science settings since the two differing axes can be used separately (depending on the available information) or together to narrow down the most accurate age of the animal in question. The validation was not breed specific, which led to some variation within the time frames indicated in the tables. In particular, larger dogs tended to take longer for full ossification to occur whereas smaller animals—both canine and feline—experienced compete ossification sooner than their larger counterparts.
This manuscript represents a portion of a thesis written by Lerah Sutton at the University of Florida based on research conducted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Science degree.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Notes
- 1.
A number of these sources utilized additional published literature and radiographic atlases to compile their data tables. It was the data tables in these sources themselves that were used in this study. Other studies used to compile the original tables were not listed unless specifically consulted.
- 2.
This was the primary source for compiling the data table in this study as it utilized numerous additional studies for compiling its data table, several of which were independently consulted for this study as well.
References ,
A number of these sources utilized additional published literature and radiographic atlases to compile their data tables. It was the data tables in these sources themselves that were used in this study. Other studies used to compile the original tables were not listed unless specifically consulted.
This was the primary source for compiling the data table in this study as it utilized numerous additional studies for compiling its data table, several of which were independently consulted for this study as well.
Gilsanz V, Osman R. Hand bone age: a digital atlas of skeletal maturity. Berlin: Springer; 2005.
Chapman WL. Appearance of ossification centers and epiphyseal closures as determined by radiographic techniques. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1965;147:138–41.
Newton CD, Nunamaker DM. Appendix C—Canine and feline epiphyseal plate closure and appearance of ossification centers. In: Textbook of small animal orthopaedics. Philadelphia: Lippincott; 1985.
Schebitz H, Wilkens H. Atlas of radiographic anatomy of the dog and cat. Berlin: Verlag P. Parey; 1978.
Smith RN. Radiological observations on the limbs of young greyhounds. J Small Anim Pract. 1960;1(1-4):84–90.
Smith R. Appearance of ossification centers in the kitten. J Small Anim Pract. 1968;9:496–511.
Smith R. Fusion of ossification centers in the cat. J Small Anim Pract. 1969;10:523–30.
Thrall DE, Robertson ID. Atlas of normal radiographic anatomy & anatomic variants in the dog and cat. St. Louis: Elsevier/Saunders; 2011.
Ticer JW. Radiographic technique in small animal practice. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1975.
Pfeil v, Dirsko JF, DeCamp CE. The epiphyseal plate: physiology, anatomy, and trauma. Compend Contin Educ Vet. 2009;31(8):E1–11.
Pfeil v, Dirsko JF, DeCamp CE, Abood SK. The epiphyseal plate: nutritional and hormonal influences; hereditary and other disorders. Compend Contin Educ Vet. 2009;31(8):E1–13.
Moore, William. Salter-Harris fracture imaging. Salter-Harris fracture imaging. Medscape reference: drugs, diseases, and procedures, 24 Jan. 2013. Web
Acknowledgments
Funded by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals through the UF-ASPCA Graduate Fellowship Program.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Appendix
Appendix
Canines | Felines | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Deciduous (weeks) | Permanent (months) | Deciduous (weeks) | Permanent (months) | |
Incisors | 3–4 | 3–5 | 2–3 | 3–4 |
Canines | 3 | 4–6 | 3–4 | 4–5 |
Premolars | 4–12 | 4–6 | 3–6 | 4–6 |
Molars | n/a | 5–7 | n/a | 4–5 |
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sutton, L.K., Byrd, J.H., Brooks, J.W. (2018). Age Determination in Dogs and Cats. In: Brooks, J. (eds) Veterinary Forensic Pathology, Volume 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67175-8_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67175-8_11
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-67173-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-67175-8
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)