[Illustration: Figure 20 _Dogs about to be examined in a whole body
counter._]
How do dogs accumulate fallout isotopes in their bodies? This question
was answered effectively by placing dogs in whole body counters and
comparing the count from radioactive strontium-emitted gamma rays
originating in their bodies with the count from a masonite phantom dog
containing a known amount of radioactive strontium-85. It was found that
female dogs increase their strontium retention while they are nursing
newborn puppies. Strontium is much like calcium, which is a major
component of milk. One dog measured had broken a leg in a fight. The
counter showed above-average strontium accumulation for this dog, and it
was conjectured that strontium, a “bone-seeking” element, had followed
calcium to the point of bone repair and new bone growth.
[Illustration: Figure 21 _A wild deer under a whole body counter._]
[Illustration: Figure 22 _Graph of whole body counter survey of four
different animal species, showing differences in their retention of
orally administered radioactive zinc-65._]