Bone loss in the beagle tibia: influence of age, weight, and sex

In a cross-sectional study, 154 Beagles (79 males, 74 females) ranging in age from 14 to 187 months were measured for bone mineral, bone width, and mineral-to-width ratio on the distal shaft of the right tibia using a photon absorptiometer. The measurements were evaluated with regard to age, sex and body weight. The results indicate that males were heavier than females in body weight, with weight being reduced in the older animals of both sexes. When compared on an age basis, males had more mineral, a wider tibia, and a greater mineral-to-width ratio than females. The males and females reach their peak mineral, and mineral-to-width ratio at about 6 years of age and then decline. On a body weight basis, mineral, width and mineral-to-width ratio all increase with increasing body weight, with bone width being the least affected by changes in body weight. The values for females are less than those for males in all parameters with the greatest differences occurring at the greater weights. The only variance from these observations was the greater mineral-to-width ratio in the lighter females. It is concluded that, when examining cortical bone, the Beagle is a model of age-related osteopenia, and body weight is an important consideration when explaining changes in bone mineral.