This study used 3D landmark-based geometric morphometrics under an object-symmetry framework to quantify pelvic asymmetry in domestic cats and dogs while explicitly accounting for measurement error through replicate digitizations. Procrustes ANOVA revealed significant components of both directional asymmetry (DA) and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in the overall dataset, and DA was further visualized as a structured, non-random pattern across the landmark configuration. Measurement error remained smaller than the FA component, yielding high repeatability, indicating that the detected asymmetry patterns were not driven by landmarking imprecision. Group-wise summaries are presented as descriptive patterns of the sample (rather than direct between-group inference). In these descriptive summaries, cats tended to show a more coherent DA pattern, whereas dogs showed greater individual variation consistent with a relatively stronger FA component; males also tended to exhibit greater FA-related dispersion than females. In regression models of FA, age showed no association, body mass exhibited only a weak trend, and sex emerged as a significant predictor, while species showed no detectable effect when covariates were included. Collectively, these results support the hypothesis that pelvic shape contains both systematic (DA) and individual-specific (FA) asymmetry components, with sex-related differences in FA magnitude, but limited evidence for age- or weight-related effects within the sampled range. The study provides a repeatable framework and baseline reference for pelvic asymmetry in cats and dogs.

This study investigated breed- and sex-related variation in two adjacent regions of the sheep cranial base on the endocranial surface, namely the ethmoidal region (fossa ethmoidalis–crista galli complex) and the prechiasmatic region centered on the sulcus chiasmatis. We hypothesized that breed-related morphometric differences would be detectable in this cranial base region and that the ethmoidal and prechiasmatic regions would show modular separation despite substantial covariation. Three-dimensional landmark data from 113 adult Akkaraman, Morkaraman, and Zom sheep were analyzed. Whole-configuration size differed by breed and sex, ethmoidal size mainly by sex, and prechiasmatic size mainly by breed. Shape analyses showed significant breed effects in the whole configuration and in both regional modules, whereas sex effects were weaker and limited to the whole configuration and prechiasmatic region. Allometry was significant at all levels and was strongest in the two regional modules, especially the prechiasmatic region. Modularity analysis supported the separation of the ethmoidal and prechiasmatic landmarks into two modules, whereas integration analysis indicated a high degree of covariation between them (r-PLS = 0.933), with most shared covariance concentrated on the first PLS axis. These findings indicate that variation in this endocranial cranial base region is detectable in both size and shape, with shape differences identified more consistently across the whole configuration and the two regional modules, although the associated effect sizes were modest. Overall, the results highlight that variation between adjacent cranial base regions is primarily expressed through shape and covariation rather than size alone, providing a morphometric framework for future studies of cranial structure.

Recent anatomical and morphometric studies indicate that the sella turcica is a structurally informative region and a distinctive anatomical formation that can exhibit shape variation among individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in three dimensions, the extent to which sella turcica morphology differs among three sheep breeds (Akkaraman, Morkaraman, Zom) and between sexes. A total of 102 specimens were examined. All skulls were CT-scanned specifically for this study; the sella turcica region was reconstructed as a three-dimensional model, and 12 anatomical landmarks were manually digitized for each specimen. The findings showed that sella turcica size differed among breeds, with the Zom group exhibiting the largest sella turcica size. In contrast, no clear size difference was observed between females and males. Shape assessment also revealed differences among breeds, largely driven by the separation of Zom from Akkaraman and Morkaraman, whereas no distinct sex-related shape pattern was detected. Importantly, the breed-related shape differences persisted after accounting for size effects. Overall, these results suggest that the sella turcica carries a breed-associated morphological signal in sheep, while showing no pronounced sexual differentiation in the present sample.

Background: Endotracheal intubation is defined as the procedure of placing a tube into the trachea. Endotracheal intubation methods include orotracheal, nasotracheal, retrograde, tracheostomy, and lateral pharyngotomy. Conditions where characteristic anatomical features obstruct the view of the vocal cords and tube placement are defined as "difficult airway”. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) defines difficult intubation as the need for 3 or more attempts to place an endotracheal tube. Conditions that can lead to upper airway obstruction include BOHS, nasopharyngeal polyps, laryngeal paralysis and tracheal collapse, temporomandibular joint diseases, and head trauma. The aim of this study was to evaluate cases causing difficult airways and the alternative orotracheal intubation methods applied for airway management.Materials, Methods & Results: The study included a total of 34 patients, 22 cats and 12 dogs, of different ages and breeds with difficult airways, brought to the Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Department of Surgery Polyclinic for elective surgery. Nasotracheal intubation was performed on 10 patients where orotracheal intubation was not feasible or was deemed to obstruct the surgical field, lateral pharyngotomy on 6 patients, tracheostomy on 17 patients, and permanent tracheostomy on 2 patients. Nasotracheal intubation was applied to patients scheduled for epiglottopexy and laryngeal saccullectomy surgeries. Lateral pharyngotomy was performed for jaw locking and nasopharyngeal reconstruction surgeries. Tracheostomy was applied for mandibular osteosynthesis, jaw locking, pharyngeal tumor resection, condylectomy, zygomatic arch resection, laryngeal tumor resection, and bilateral temporomandibular joint resection. Conditions necessitating alternative intubation methods included epiglottis retroversion and laryngeal saccula eversion lesions of BOHS, maxilla and mandible fractures resulting from head trauma, symphysis mandibula separation, laryngeal stenosis, larynx and pharynx tumors, and inability to open the mouth due to malunion. Discussion: Conditions such as BOHS findings, temporomandibular joint ankylosis, laryngeal and pharyngeal lesions, oral surgery, difficult airway, and conditions leading to difficult intubation were considered. Increased fat mass in the oropharyngeal soft tissue due to obesity not only increases the risk of airway obstruction but also complicates endotracheal intubation. The difficulty in intubation experienced in cases 26 and 30, where patients were of pug breed and assessed as obese based on body condition score, supports the literature. Orotracheal intubation is a routine procedure in cats and dogs and can be easily performed. However, alternative intubation methods may be required in cases of difficult airway. The most serious consequence of the difficult airway spectrum is the inability to intubate the patient and ensure oxygenation. Laryngeal paralysis (cases 2 and 22), temporomandibular joint ankylosis (cases 6, 9, 10, 20, 21, and 33), pharyngeal (case 11) and laryngeal tumors (case 19) were considered as situations requiring urgent intervention and where orotracheal intubation was not possible. Alternative intubation methods were required in these cases, and tracheostomy was performed urgently to ensure airway patency. It was observed that alternative endotracheal intubation methods were frequently used in oral maxillofacial surgery and otolaryngology clinics to relieve the surgical field or stabilize the patient's condition. Keywords: difficult airway, endotracheal intubation, lateral pharyngotomy, nasotracheal intubation, tracheostomy.

Common swifts are extreme aerial specialists that spend most of their lives in flight and use their legs mainly for clinging rather than locomotion. Because functional load is therefore expected to be concentrated on the wing, we hypothesized that the forelimb would exhibit stronger left–right differentiation than the hindlimb. In addition to testing this hypothesis, we used landmark-based geometric morphometric methods to describe humeral and femoral shape in common swifts and to test the effects of sex and body size on bone morphology. The humerus showed clear directional asymmetry: the effect of side explained 13.8% of total shape variance (F = 42.0, p = 0.001), indicating a consistent left–right shift across individuals. The femur also exhibited significant but weaker directional asymmetry, with side accounting for 5.4% of variance (F = 19.3, p = 0.001). In both bones, the individual term explained the largest proportion of variation, whereas residual variance (containing fluctuating asymmetry and measurement error) was moderate (≈27% in the humerus, ≈23% in the femur). Allometric regressions showed a weak but significant size–shape relationship for the humerus and only a marginal effect for the femur, and males and females showed almost complete overlap in the distribution of humeral and femoral shapes. Sex had no detectable effect on humeral or femoral shape or asymmetry, and body size explained only a modest proportion of shape variation in both elements. Overall, our results support the functional expectation: the more intensively used forelimb element is also the more directionally asymmetric one, whereas the femur of this largely aerial bird remains comparatively more symmetrical.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oral simethicone administration on the ultrasonographic visualization of the pancreas in cats by reducing gastrointestinal gas-related artifacts. Ten mixed-breed cats without gastrointestinal complaints were included in the study. The left pancreatic lobe was ultrasonographically examined twice. Initial measurements were performed before oral simethicone administration (T0). Subsequently, all cats received oral simethicone at a dose of 4 mg/kg, and measurements were repeated 30 minutes later (T1). Ultrasonographic examinations were performed using an Esaote MyLab™8 Vet ultrasound system. Left pancreatic lobe thickness and pancreatic duct diameter, when visible, were recorded. Data normality was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, which demonstrated a non-normal distribution. Therefore, measurements were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. No statistically significant difference was observed between pre- and post-simethicone measurements of the left pancreatic lobe (p>0.05). In cases where the pancreas could not be adequately visualized before simethicone administration, no marked improvement in image quality was observed after administration. However, when the pancreas was visualized, measurements remained consistent after treatment. The findings suggest that oral simethicone administration alone does not substantially improve ultrasonographic visualization of the pancreas in cats. Pancreatic visualization appears to be influenced not only by gastrointestinal gas but also by multiple factors, including patient characteristics and imaging conditions.