[Cu deficiency in growing dogs]

It was the aim of the investigation to evaluate the influence of marginal (60-30 micrograms/kg BW/d) or adequate (680-360 micrograms/kg BW/d) Cu-intake on the development of growing beagles (n = 10) and the incidence of skeletal diseases. Low Cu-intake (6 dogs) reduced Cu-concentrations in plasma (1.4 vs. 9.7 mumol/l), hair (3.3-4.5 vs. 12.6-14.5 mg/kg DM), liver (19 vs. 246 mg/kg fat free DM), bile (0.28 vs. 7.04 mg/l), and other samples significantly. Hemoglobin and packed cell volume decreased after 4 months of depletion (normochromic anemia). First clinical signs of Cu-deficiency were depigmentation and greying of hair, followed by hyperextensions in the distal forelegs. After necropsy deformations of the long bones were seen more frequently in the depleted animals, without distinct alterations of the microstructure or chemical composition of bones or tendons.