REGIONAL PERIPHERAL VASCULAR SUPPLY BASED ON THE SUPERFICIAL TEMPORALARTERY IN DOGS AND CATS

Cutaneous arterial blood supply to the temporal region was evaluated i n 8 dogs and 8 cats. Subtraction radiography and angiography of the ca rotid and superficial temporal arteries were used in 4 dogs and 4 cats to determine arterial blood supply to the temporal region and frontal is muscle. A myocutaneous axial pattern flap based on the superficial temporal artery and frontalis muscle may be indicated for cosmetic rec onstruction in dogs and cats following surgical resection of neoplasti c lesions or traumatic wounds in the maxillofacial region. The frontal is muscle was identified as the thin subcutaneous continuation of the platysma muscle extending cranially and rostrally. Dissection of the t emporal region in 4 dogs and 4 cats revealed the subcutaneous location of the superficial temporal artery as it continues rostrally from the caudal aspect of the zygomatic arch.