HAIR MANGANESE LEVELS IN DOGS FROM WARSAW IN RELATION TO BREED, SEX, AGE AND BODY WEIGHT

Pet animals live in relatively similar conditions to those of man. Therefore, they are considered to be available for monitoring the influence of various environmental factors on the organism, including trace elements. Manganese is an element essential for the metabolism and growth of organisms as a major constituent of several metalloenzymes, hormones and proteins. Tissues of mammals usually contain manganese localized in parenchymal organs, melanin-containing cells, in the bones and in skin appendages including hair, which is a stable matrix that presents numerous advantages for biomonitoring and provides information about short- and long-term exposure and the temporal exposure pattern by segmental analysis. The aim of the study was to test the use of canine coat hair as a biomarker of body manganese content in relation to factors such as breed, sex, age and body weight of animals.We measured manganese concentration in 120 hair samples collected from dogs of the following breeds: Yorkshire Terrier (VT). West Highland White Terrier (WHWT) and Schnauzer Dog (SCHD). The data were analyzed in relation to sex, age and body weight of dogs. Manganese levels were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The hair of the studied dogs was found to be low in manganese compared to data on other carnivorous species. The highest level (5.66 mg kg(-1) dry weight) was found in the coat hair of YT dogs. In the other two breeds, the values measured were 3.4 and 2.87 mg kg(-1) dry weight in WHWT and SCHD, respectively. There was a decrease in hair manganese content in the coat of older WHWT and SCHD dogs. A reverse relationship was found in YT dogs. Sex was a factor determining hair manganese level in WHWT. The results indicate low environmental exposure of the dogs from Warsaw agglomeration to the manganese. The results of our comparisons between breeds do not confirm other authors' claims about great variation in hair manganese content.