The influence of size on the biology of the dog
1985; Wiley; Volume: 26; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1111/j.1748-5827.1985.tb02090.x
ISSN1748-5827
Autores Tópico(s)Veterinary Equine Medical Research
ResumoABSTRACT Many morphological and physiological characters adhere to quite rigid patterns of variation with bodyweight across the 35‐fold weight range of dog breeds. The ways in which these characters correlate with weight are thought to be due largely to constraints acting during development, and the rates at which they alter with weight among breeds of dogs often differ from those seen between mammals as a whole. Because of this difference in scaling, the dimensions of several morphological and physiological features (e.g. organ sizes, gestation period and pup size) tend to deviate in toy and giant breeds from the mammalian averages. Equations describing a variety of parameters in relation to weight are presented. These are of practical value in predicting properties from bodyweight, but may also help to explain some pathological conditions seen in toy and giant breeds.
Referência(s)