Shape variations of pelvis in different classes of dogs using geometric morphometry

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Anatomy
• Comparative Osteology
• Geometric Morphometry

Background:

• The pelvis (ossa coxae) connects hindlimbs to the axial skeleton, forming a crucial structure for locomotion.
• Understanding pelvic morphology and asymmetry is vital for veterinary diagnostics and surgical planning.
• Canine pelvic variations across breeds and sexes remain incompletely characterized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate pelvic shape variations and asymmetry in different dog classes using geometric morphometry.
• To analyze sex-based and breed-based differences in canine pelvic structure.
• To establish the utility of geometric morphometry in canine anatomical studies.

Main Methods:

• Computed tomography (CT) imaging of 35 canine pelves.
• 3D pelvic model reconstruction and landmark identification (45 points).
• Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA), and Procrustes ANOVA for shape analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant shape variation was found in the pelvic canal and crista iliaca.
• Directional asymmetry was statistically significant (33.84% of variation), while fluctuating asymmetry was not.
• Male dogs exhibited greater pelvic variation and asymmetry (typically right-sided) than females. Gundogs and terriers showed distinct pelvic canal and crista iliaca morphologies.

Conclusions:

• Geometric morphometry provides robust statistical analysis for canine pelvic shape and asymmetry.
• Significant sexual dimorphism and breed-specific variations exist in canine pelvic morphology.
• This study offers valuable insights into canine pelvic geometric morphometry for veterinary applications.