NORMAL BIOCHEMICAL-ENDOCRINE VALUES HELPF UL IN CONTROLLING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN GERMAN-SHEEPDOG, DOBERMAN AND GREAT-DANE

To control the process of growth, the factors that intervene in it and the parameters useful to evaluate these factors must be taken into ac count. Information about the normal biochemical-endocrine values accor ding to age, breed and sex,is scarce in veterinary medicine. 800 norma l puppies (350 german sheepdogs, 270 dobermans and 180 great danes) fr om Buenos Aires city and surroundings, divided according to age, sex a nd breed were evaluated. The age of the puppies ranged between 30 days and 8 months (after this age, growth was not considered significant). Ca, inorganic phosphorus (Pi), total protein (Tot. Prot.), albumine, creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) and M g were determined. Triiodotironine (T3), tiroxine (T4) and free tiroxi ne (FT4) were evaluated by the radio immune assay method. Statistical methods used were: percentiles 3, 50 and 97, one way ANOVA, Tukey and Bonferroni tests. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) due to breed and sex. Significant differences (p < 0.05) according to age were found only for: SAP, Pi, Tot. Prot., CPK and T4. The Ca, Mg, alb umine, T3 and FT4 did not present significant differences according to age (p > 0.05). It was concluded that normal biochemical and endocrin e values will help in the prophylaxis, precocious and accurate diagnos is of the etiology that affects growth.