Anatomical Comparison of the Brachial Plexus in Brachycephalic and Mesocephalic Dogs

• Grant number: 25/12507-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Fabrício Singaretti de Oliveira
• Grantee: Mariana Braniak Mendes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The brachial plexus is formed by the ventral branches of the last 3 cervical nerves and the first 2 thoracic nerves and is responsible for the innervation, and consequent movement, of almost all structures of the thoracic limb. It is formed by the subscapular, suprascapular, axillary, musculocutaneous, median, ulnar, radial, long thoracic and dorsal thoracic nerves. The objective of this study is to describe, in brachycephalic and mesocephalic dogs, always comparatively, the brachial plexus, comparing the subscapular, suprascapular, axillary, musculocutaneous, median, ulnar, radial, long thoracic and dorsal thoracic nerves, and identifying anatomical variations in their origins and innervated muscles. Ten cadavers of brachycephalic dogs and 10 of mesocephalic dogs will be used, which will be subjected to chemical preparation, via the common carotid artery (caudal direction), with 5% glycerinated ethyl alcohol (120mL/kg) and curing salts (20% sodium chloride, 1% nitrite and 1% sodium nitrate, in the same quantity as glycerinated alcohol). After applying the alcohol and curing salts, a solution composed of colored latex will be injected to mark the brachial artery (in red) and vein (in blue) for topographical relationship with the nerves. The aim is to improve anatomical knowledge of the brachial plexus in brachycephalic dogs, compared to mesocephalic dogs, which will serve as a basis for knowledge involving anesthesiology in the blocks of these nerves, in addition to clinical and surgical knowledge with greater detail of the innervation areas of each component. In addition, the proposed chemical preservation without formaldehyde will allow the use of the same cadaver for different approaches for up to 4 months, simply by keeping it refrigerated, allowing for numerous handlings with low risk of contamination, without wasting water for washing prior to dissections. (AU)