Investigation of macroanatomical and morphometric on the skull bones of Aksaray Malakli dogs.

Background: The skull is an important anatomical structure to discern dog breeds and wolves from dogs. For this purpose, skull morphology and some morphometric measurements of Malakli dogs, a local breed in the Aksaray region, were examined. Materials and methods: Thirty-two distances were measured, and seven ratio’s calculated, in nine skulls of adult dogs. In our study, different morphological features and statistical findings that were not revealed by taking measurements from thirty-two distinct anatomical points of Aksaray Malakli dog skull bones were determined in accordance with the literature. Results: Processus zygomaticus was found to be long and pointed in the Aksaray Malakli dogs. The morphometric analysis results, facial index value 107.68 ± 4.98, nasal index value 19.61 ± 3.25, cranial index value 56.17 ± 2.52, basal index value 30.57 ± 1.30, skull index 54.68 ± 3.01, palatal index I value 56.76 ± 1.89 in Aksaray Malakli dog and palatal index II value was calculated as 59.83 ± 2.23. Conclusions: It can be concluded form the present investigation that the neurocranium length, facial index, cranial index, basal index, skull index, palatal index values ​​were statistically different from other dog breeds.