To compare the differences of the intracranial vascular diameter and neurological function between beagle and labrador dogs using angiography and neurological function evaluation, and explore the feasibility of labrador dogs for experimental study of basilar artery implanted with intracranial stent.

A total of 12 dogs, including 6 beagle dogs (beagle group) and 6 labrador dogs (labrador group) were subjected to general anesthesia. All dogs were examined with cerebral angiography. The diameters of the internal cerebral arteries (ICA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), rostral cerebral artery (RCA) and basilar artery (BA) were measured. The weight of dogs and the diameter of arteries were statistically analyzed. The differences in the diameters were compared between the two groups. The neurological function scores were compared between the two groups before and after the stent implantation.

No obvious variations in the cerebrovascular structure was found in these dogs. The diameters of the ICA, MCA, RCA and BA in beagle group were (1.27±0.04), (0.96±0.05), (0.55±0.08) and (1.35±0.07) mm, and those in labrador group were (1.87±0.06), (1.34±0.07), (0.86±0.06) and (1.65±0.04) mm, respectively. The neurological function scores after the stent implantation in beagle group and labrador group were (5.50±0.73) and (2.16±0.19) respectively. The diameter of the ICA, MCA, RCA and BA was significantly larger in labrador dogs than that in beagle dogs (t=7.367, 5.485, 4.872, 4.328, P=0.000, 0.000, 0.001, 0.001). The neurological function scores after the stent implantation in labrador dogs were less than those in beagle dogs (t=9.579, P=0.000).

There are few variations of the diameter of intracranial vessels in labrador dogs. The diameter of basilar artery was larger in labrador dogs than that in beagle dogs. The abrador dogs are more suitable for experimental study of basilar artery implanted with intracranial stent than the beagle dogs.

Beagle dogs; Labrador dogs; Basilar artery; Stent implantation