[The concentration of ascorbic acid in the liver, the cerebrum, the kidney, the adrenal glands and the musculus longissimus dorsi of dog fetuses, dogs and cats of different ages].

In dog fetuses aged of 45 and 55 days as well as in dogs and cats of different ages the body weight and the concentration of ascorbic acid in different tissues were analysed. In the liver, the highest concentration was determined in the dogs aged 28 days (432 +/- 71 micrograms/g wet weight) and in the cats aged of 42 days (474 +/- 85 micrograms/g). In the cerebrum the highest concentration was found in dog fetuses aged 55 days (821 +/- 75 micrograms/g) and in cats aged 1 to 3 days (888 +/- 56 micrograms/g). In the kidneys and in the M. longissimus dorsi, the concentration was also in part age-dependent. The concentration in the adrenals of dog fetuses was lower than that after birth: the highest concentration was analysed in dogs aged 28 days (1780 +/- 340 micrograms/g) and in cats aged 6 months (1497 +/- 203 micrograms/g). The significance of ascorbic acid for the development of the tissues of carnivores is discussed and compared with the concentration in other species.