Literature provides no detailed descriptions concerning the topography of the feline heart. Some schematic and often contradictory information is found in a few publications. This study was performed on 60 corpses of adult domestic shorthair cats of various ages and both sexes. In all specimens the following were determined: the skeletotopy of the cardiac notch of the left lung, the apex and the base of heart. The studied material revealed that most frequently the cardiac notch is located on the level V of intercostal space, just above the costochondral joint (25 cats, 41.67%). The base of the heart, directed towards the cranial thoracic aperture, mostly reached half of the length of IV rib (25 cats, 41.67%). In most cases, in 35 individuals (58.33%), the apex was located at the level IV intercostal space, in the vicinity of the sternocostal joint. These observations should be under consideration when auscultating and imaging hearts in cats.
Syringomyelia (SM) is a rare disorder characterized by the development of fluid filled cavities (syrinxes) in the spinal cord parenchyma which occurs secondarily to an obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) outflow at the foramen magnum level. The precise pathophysiology of SM is still not fully understood. The most common predisposing cause in dogs is a Chiari-like malformation (CM). This disease is defined as a developmental failure of the occipital bone leading to overcrowding of the caudal cranial fossa. Abnormally small bony structures contain rhomencephalon structures (cerebellum and medulla oblongata) which are unchanged in size. This “mismatch” causes caudal displacement of encephalon structures via the foramen magnum, altering the cerebrospinal fluid flow. CM is thought to be associated with a higher grade of brachycephaly. The SM/ CM complex is very common in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS) breed.
The development of techniques used in the diagnosis and treatment of circulatory system pathologies requires detailed knowledge of coronary arteries. Blood supply to the heart is provided by the left coronary artery (a. coronaria sinistra) and the right coronary artery (a. coronaria dextra). The conventional anatomical nomenclature takes into consideration only the names of the main trunks. The nomenclature of the branches has not been unified, which leads to considerable difficulties in comparative analysis. The aim of the study was to determine the most frequent pattern of vascularization of the dog’s heart. Considering the clinical importance of coronary arteries and their branches, universal nomenclature was suggested.
The aim of the study was to investigate the morphology and morphometry of ramifications of the aortic arch in domestic shorthair cats in relation to the sex of the animals. The morphological study was performed on 61 hearts of adult domestic shorthair cats of both sexes, preserved in the 10% solution of formalin. Measurements of the area of openings of basic branches and distances between them were performed. In cats we can observe a double type of direct ramification of the aortic arch: the brachiocephalic trunk and the left subclavian artery. In all studied cases, the surface area of the ostium of the brachiocephalic trunk (SABT) was greater 4.94 ± 1.35 mm² than the surface area of the ostium of the left subclavian artery (SALSA) 2.38 ± 0.88 mm². The average difference between the opening area of the above vessels (r) amounted to 2.56 mm². In the studied group of cats, the distance between the openings (d) varied between 0.5 and 4.37 mm. In the post hoc comparison of the mean values no statistically significant differences were found between the population of males and females. Fundamental changes in the structure of openings were found in two females. The first one concerned a secondary division of the brachiocephalic trunk opening and the second one – a secondary division of the opening of the left subclavian artery in the area of their parting from the aortic arch. CT angiography or MRI angiography is the method of choice for diagnosis of vascular disorders or malformations. The knowledge of the aortic arch morphology in various species of animals is a prerequisite for a correct assessment of the results of imaging tests.
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