HORMONAL AND NUTRITIONAL REGULATION OF BO NE-GROWTH IN THE CHILD - WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS IN CANINE PAEDIATRY

The various aetiologies of non-hormonal causes of growth retardation a re outlined. The author then goes on to summarise present day knowledg e concerning paediatric endocrinology during pre- and post-natal growt h in the child. Hormonal regulation of growth involves not only the cl assic endocrine factors (GH, thyroid hormones, sexual steroids, etc.) but also local growth factors which, by their auto-or paracrine effect s, are the factors which relay information at the tissular Level. The study of growth mechanisms in human medicine (auxology) has already al lowed the treatment of some clinical growth problems and, for others, the adoption of a rigorous clinical approach with which to explore the ir origin, to propose a prognosis and to avoid the hindering of the re sidual growth potential. Some of this knowledge, concerning the radiol ogical follow-up of metaphysical cartilage or the effect of anabolic h ormones, is easily applied to canine paediatry.