Santini,
P: Characteristic of the bone mineral density of humerus
and antebrachial bones of the females bottlenose
dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) of
the different ages. Diploma Thesis. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Zagreb, 2010
Abstract
The
aim of this study was to examine and describe the decrease of bone mineral
density that happens in older female bottlenose dolphins which has been found
in researches on humans and some other mammals. The reseach
was done on 27 right pectoral flippers of female bottlenose dolphins using DEXA
method hich measures the bone mineral density. There
is strong correlation in age in the controlled animals with the bone mineral
content and bone mineral density, which is expressed in high correlation
coefficients of the tested variables. There is an increase in bone mineral
content of the humeral and antibrachial bones in
dolphins until the age of 17 years and after that there is a mild decrease in
the mentioned values in dolphins older than 21 years. The values of bone
mineral density of the humerus and antibrachial bones in the age of 15 year old dolphins and
up to 21 years of age mildy decreases. There are
deviations detected in the line of growth of measured values in some
individuals which is most likely associated with the biological cycles by the
temporarily decrease in bone mineral density (pregnancy, some diseases) or they
are associated with the inaccurate method of age determination in animals. The
trend of decreasing bone mineral density
in older female bottlenose dolphins is similar to that described in women of
postmenopausal age, older female monkeys and some other animals.