For macroscopic evaluation frozen toes were cut transversely and sagittally. Besides this complete toes were examined by computed tomography. Thus the radiological bone density and its distribution could be made visible. The bone and the bone marrow were investigated by light microscopy in young and adult animals. In newborn animals cancellous bone within the third phalanx is distributed equally and the trabeculae are arranged accidentally.
Compact bone is relatively thin.
Within the spongiosa there is a channel through which the arcus terminalis passes. Just a few weeks after birth remodeling of bone is taking place. These processes continue as a consequence of the changes imposed by the increasing body weight. As a result a medullary cavity with the arcus terminalis passing through it can be seen in the adult animal in sagittal sections. It is filled with yellow bone marrow.