Comparisons of some physiological and stress behavioral parameters of Kangal shepherd dogs with and without ankyloglossia in different environmental temperatures

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare Kangal shepherd dogs with and without ankyloglossia in terms of various physiologicaland behavioral changes. A total of 24 dogs were used, 11 of which have had ankyloglossia and 13 of which did not have ankyloglossia.Heart rates, respiratory rates, and body temperatures of the dogs were measured at three different environmental temperatures (18, 23,and 28 °C), resting state, and different exercise durations (5, 10, and 15 min). In addition, resting state and some behavioral parameterswere recorded with a video camera. Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis, and Wilcoxon tests were used to analyze the data. While nostatistical difference was detected in the two groups in terms of all parameters during the resting state at all temperatures, the differencebetween the resting state and exercising was statistically significant (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Except for 15 min of exercise for the respirationrates, statistical differences were detected in both groups in parameters at both different temperatures and different exercise durationsat each temperature. While some of the stress behavior parameters were not detected at any of the temperatures in normal dogs, thenumber of the dogs showing other stress behavioral parameters increased in both groups as the temperature increased, but the numberwas higher in the dogs with ankyloglossia. This study is the first study on physiological and stress behavioral parameters in Kangalshepherd dogs with ankyloglossia.