title: The topography of the lymph vessels of mammary glands in female cats.
abstract: Malignant tumours of the mammary gland in the female cat metastasize, especially through the lymphatic system. However, the anatomical knowledge of this system in cats is not sufficient to develop a reasoned model for the extirpation of these glands in the case of malignant tumours. A study of the topography of the collector vessels in 50 female cats was conducted by indirect injection in vivo of India ink inside the mammary parenchyma. All the lymph nodes were controlled by microscopic examination and lymph vessels were examined after clearing. The success rate of the colouration of the lymph vessels was 76.4%. Clearing showed several principal routes of drainage, different for each gland. Contrary to the presentation observed in the bitch, no evidence existed in any of the 65 cases of lymphatic plexuses connecting the two mammary glands of each row in the female cat. The result of this study is in favour of the development of a new model for the surgical extirpation of mammary tumours in cats.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Anatomie - Embryologie, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raharison
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sautet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008196:Lymph / Q000502:physiology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*