Computed tomographic (CT) examination of the head region in Çatalburun dogs

Objective: The most important characteristic of our native breed of Pointer dogs is that their nose is forked in the middle. When evaluated in terms of nose structure, Catalburun dogs are very similar to Pacon Navarro (Old Spanish Pointer) dogs in Spain and Double-nosed Andean Tiger Hound in Bolivia. However, in our literature searches, we did not find any study on the computerized tomography imaging of the head region of neither Catalburun dogs nor the other two breeds of dogs. With this thesis study, it is aimed to present the CT measurements of the skull of this breed, which is unique to our country, for the first time and at the same time to increase the recognition of the breed. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 10 dogs of different ages and sexes without any pathology related to the head region, who needed clinical examination and tomography for different reasons. Intravenous (i.v) propofol (Propofol, 10 mg/mL, Polifarma®, Tekirdag, Turkey) at a dose of 6 mg/kg was administered into the v.cephalica antebrachii for induction of anesthesia, followed by isoflurane (2% Isoflurane® USP, USA). Emergency equipment and medications were kept ready against possible complications during CT scanning. Vimago GT 30 brand CT device was used for CT scanning, RWD brand R419 model automatic ventilator anesthesia device and RWD brand R640 model Isoflurane vaporizer were used for anesthesia. The dogs were fixed on the CT table in the sternal recumbency position with the mouth open. The DICOM format images obtained were transferred to RadiAnt DICOM Viewer program and measurements were performed on the transversal images obtained as a result of scanning and the dorsal and sagittal images generated from them. Results: Each measurement was repeated 3 times for each subject and averaged. Regardless of age and gender, skull length was 16.51±0.45 cm, cranial basal length 16.35±0.43 cm, cranial width 10.96±0.20 cm, cranial height 4.80±0.07 cm, neurocranium length 10.14±0.10 cm, neurocranium basal length 7, 26±0.13 cm, neurocranium width 6.22±0.09 cm, neurocranium height 4.80±0.07 cm, facial length 6.65±0.26, facial basal length 9.01±0.28 cm, facial width 1 9.01±0.28 cm, facial width 2 6.90±0.13 cm, facial width 3 3.77±0.11 cm, facial width 4 4,07±0,09 cm, facial height 1 5,16±0,12 cm, facial height 2,51±0,12 cm, foramen magnum height 1,84±0,06 cm, foramen magnum width 2,12±0,05 cm, anterior mandibular width 2,26±0,08 cm, posterior mandibular width 8,27±0,14 cm, mandibular length 13,67±0,27 cm, nasal length 1 6,65±0,26 cm, nasal length 2 5,34±0,24 cm, craniofacial angle 15,65±0,43 cm, skull index 66,71±1,57, facial index 166,83±6,20, cranial index 61,40±0,94 and foramen magnum index 87,57±5,07. Conclusion: Detailed skull measurements of Tarsus Catalburun dogs were presented for the first time in this study using CT images. The mean values of FU, FY2, FMY, FMG, NU1 and KFA were higher in female dogs than in male dogs, while the rest of the skull measurements were higher in male dogs. Keywords: Head Region, Computed Tomography, Dog.