Background – Brachycephalic dog breeds have multiple skull malformations which may lead to anatomical changes
in the external auditory canal. It is our frequent observation that in the otoscopic examination of the external ear in
these breeds we are unable to visualise the tympanic membrane as a consequence of extreme narrowing of the
proximal ear canal. Additionally brachycephalic dogs reportedly are predisposed to otitis externa (OE) and otitis media.
Objectives – To characterizse the transition of the cartilaginous ear canal to the bony meatus acusticus externus
using computed tomography (CT) and to investigate a possible association with OE in brachycephalic dogs.
Materials and methods – Seventy-five client-owned dogs [pugs (n = 20), French bulldogs (n = 55)] were
included and assessed for OE using an owner questionnaire and otoscopic and cytological examinations. In dorsal
plane CT scans, the diameter of the porus acusticus externus was measured using novel methodology. The
results were compared with a normocephalic control group without preexisting otological disorders.
Results – Brachycephalic dogs had a significantly smaller porus acusticus externus diameter (2.6 mm) than normocephalic
dogs (5.0 mm). Of the brachycephalic dogs, 32% had OE yet this was not statistically significantly
related to the diameter of the porus acusticus externus. Middle ear effusion (44%) and narrowing of the external
ear canal (82.6%) were significantly more frequent in brachycephalic dogs. Only five of 150 eardrums could be
visualised otoscopically.
Conclusions and clinical relevance – Malformation of the porus acusticus externus causes severe stenosis of
the proximal ear canal in brachycephalic dogs. A connection between stenosis of the external auditory canal and
OE could not be confirmed.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:86793 |
| Date | 10 August 2023 |
| Creators | Töpfer, Tanja, Köhler, Claudia, Rösch, Sarah, Oechtering, Gerhard |
| Publisher | John Wiley & Sons Ltd |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion, doc-type:article, info:eu-repo/semantics/article, doc-type:Text |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | 10.1111/vde.13067 |
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