Bone Mineral Density (BMD) in Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Correlation with Bodyweight and Body Mass Index (BMI)

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) has become a standard procedure for non-invasive evaluation of bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) in research and clinical medicine. Aim of this study was to examine the correlation between bodyweight (BW), BMI (calculated using either formulas reported above) and BMD of selected skeletal structures in a group of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes); furthermore, which biometric measure (BW, BMIVoss and BMIStock) best correlates to BMD was investigated. Linear regression analysis showed a good correlation of the BMD of the radial head with BMIVoss, BMIStock and BW. Femoral head BMD had a fair correlation with BMIVoss with which showed only tendency to significance and with BMIStock, and no correlation was found with BW. Further study are needed to validate BMI in Canidae and to understand which is the equation that best describe the body composition of this mammalian class and the additional use of force plates might explain the influence of motion patterns.