Canine soft palate on MRI: A comparative study between brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic breeds

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Aseel K Hussein, Martin Sullivan and Jacques Penderis

Baghdad University, Iraq
Glasgow University, UK
Broadleys Veterinary Hospital, UK

: J Vet Sci Med Diagn

Abstract

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The anatomical features of the soft palate have an impact on the canine upper respiratory system. The aim of this study was to determine whether the soft palate parameters may prospect possible defects using in vivo MRI technique. The study included 55 clientowned dogs of different breeds had no respiratory signs divided into brachycephalic (20) and non-brachycephalic (34) breeds. All the data were collected and tested in small animal hospital/ veterinary school of Glasgow University during summer time of 2014. The animals had bodyweight (Range = 2-42 kg) and age (Range = 0.08-14 year). The area of the soft palate and its length on midline sagittal plane of T2 MRI were determined (Figure-1) and calculated using ImageJ software then all the data were corrected for the same parameter. The effect of head shape, bodyweight, age and sex on the corrected area and length were examined. The results showed that the corrected area of the soft palate is significantly correlated (Figure-2) to both head conformation (P=0.0123) and bodyweight (P=0.0178) but not the age or sex factors, while, the corrected length of the soft palate appeared not to be correlated to any of the above parameters. It is concluded that despite the fact that there is correlation between the corrected area of the soft palate and the degree of brachycephalia, it appears not to be increased in parallel with the decrease of the brachycephalia. Such information may be useful in breeding purposes to decrease the possible incidence of respiratory defects in typical brachycephalic breeds.

Biography

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Aseel K Hussein is an Assistant Professor in Baghdad University since 2016. She has a degree in veterinary medicine from veterinary college / Baghdad University in 2001, then a MSc degree in veterinary orthopedic surgery in 2005. In 2012, a PhD degree was obtained in diagnostic imaging technique. A short post-doctorate study was achieved in small animal hospital of veterinary school/ Glasgow University in late 2014. She has her expertise in both of veterinary surgery and diagnosis imaging techniques of small animal. She started supervising both of MSc and PhD students’ since 2015.

E-mail: fall_of_legend2001@yahoo.com