A Study of the Craniofacial Morphometry of the Nigerian Local Dog

Abstract

A study of the spatial relationship of the structures of the head and face of the Nigerian local dog was carried out using twenty-five clinically healthy dogs (11 males, 14 females). The males recorded a higher body weight and height of right external nares (15.75±6.19 kg and 0.73±0.15 cm respectively), when compared with the females (14.5±4.38 kg, 0.72±0.14 cm) (P>0.05). Values for all other parameters (e.g. rima oris length, pinna length and width, external nares length and width, etc.) measured were found to be higher in the females, although no statistically significant differences (P>0.05) were observed between the genders. There was a positive correlation between the weight of the animal and all other parameters measured. Data obtained from this study will find application in the field of comparative and clinical anatomy, morpho-physiology and possibly evolutionary studies.