SEM study of hair cuticle in some Canidae breeds.

Hair fibre study is very actual due to its implications especially in forensic medical expertise. The usual and SEM microscopic morphology of primary hair fibres collected from mature male dogs of five well-known breeds: Husky, Bichon Maltese, Golden retriever, Labrador and German Shepherd were studied. Descriptive observations and quantitative data obtained by micrometry do not lead to significant differences to permit identification of one breed by simple hair examination. Nonetheless, comparing the quantitative parameters of hair fibre obtained in our study with those known in specialty literature on human hair, we can conclude that there are differences among medullary index values and the index could be an identification criterion.