Anatomical and Radiographical Studies on Heart of Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) with Special References to Its Coronary Arteries

The present paper considered as a descriptive study applied on the heart of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as one of the wild animals, as well as we deal with clarifying valves, chambers, and coronary arteries of the heart in addition to coronary artery radiography. five red foxes of either sex with an average weight of 8-10 kg were selected for this study. The animals were scarified by sodium thiopental injection. Two animals were used for anatomical description as well as for sagittal and cross-section study. The other three animals were used for studying both arterial architectures and for radiographic imaging. The heart of the red fox fixed by the presence of the pericardiophrenic ligament in place of the pericardiosternal one and it was composed of four main champers as in all vertebrates while its internal features carrying some different aspects. The left ventricle was large, long enough in comparison to the right one as well as their papillary muscles gave special appearance unlike other mammals. The left coronary artery was the dominant branch supplying the cardiac muscles. Otherwise, the interventricular infrasinuosal artery emanates from the left circumflex artery instead of the right coronary artery like other higher vertebrates, while the right coronary artery was small and gave off small ramifications on the right ventricular wall.