Adrenal length and width were determined from two-dimensional ultrasound longitudinal images. In study 1, 540 measurements of adrenal glands were attempted from five healthy beagle dogs by three different observers with different levels of expertise in ultrasonography, to determine the variability of adrenal gland measurements. Of these, 484 measurements were included in the statistical analysis, since 16 measurements of the left adrenal gland and 40 for the right could not be visualised by the observer. In study 2, a single measurement of both adrenal glands was taken from each of 146 dogs by the most trained observer from study 1, and the effects of different health status (healthy dogs v dogs with non-adrenal diseases), bodyweight, age and sex were assessed. A total of 267 measurements were included in the statistical analysis. The lowest intra- and inter-day coefficient of variation values were observed for the left adrenal gland and by the most trained observer. The health status had no statistically significant effect on adrenal gland length or width, whereas age had a significant effect only for the left adrenal gland (the greater the age, the greater the width or length) and sex had a significant effect only for the right adrenal gland (the width was larger in males and the length larger in females). The bodyweight had a significant effect for the length of both adrenal glands (the greater the bodyweight, the greater the length), but not the width. The differences between sd and coefficient of variation values for the width of the left adrenal gland were not statistically significant between the three observers, whereas they were statistically significant for the right adrenal gland.

Most prostatic diseases in dogs are associated with prostatomegaly, and transabdominal ultrasonography has become the imaging modality of choice for evaluation of the prostate gland in the dog. The aim of the present study was to assess the reproducibility, the repeatability and interobserver variations of sonographic measurements of prostate and to determine which measurement had the lowest variability. Length and height of prostate gland were measured on longitudinal views, width of the prostate gland and height of left and right lobes of the gland on transversal views. The within-day and between-day variabilities of the prostatic parameters were determined by performing 1350 (270 length, 270 height, 270 width, 270 height of right lobe and 270 height of left lobe) examinations on ten healthy intact beagle dogs on six different days, in a two-week period (three days for the five dogs, three different days for the five others). Three observers with different levels of experience in ultrasonography performed the examinations. The lowest within-day and between-day standard deviation and coefficient of variation values were observed for the width of the prostate. The width of the gland measured on transverse frozen images seems to be the most reliable measurement for evaluating size of prostate glands in healthy dogs, although the shape, position, outline, and echogenicity of the prostate should also be assessed.

The mammary gland is a common site of neoplasms in the female cat. All the malignant tumors metastasize to a lesser or a greater extent through the lymphatic system. However, the anatomical knowledge of this system is not sufficiently well known in cats to develop a reasoned model for the extirpation of these glands in case of malignant tumors. A study of the lymph drainage in 50 female cats was done by indirect injection in vivo of India ink inside the mammary parenchyma. After a waiting interval, mammary glands were extracted and the thoracic cavity opened. All the lymph nodes were examined after clearing. The success rate of the colorations of lymph nodes and lymph vessels was 91.8%. Out of the 100 observed mammary chains, the two intermediate mammary glands (T2, A1) may drain caudally to the superficial inguinal lymph center and/or cranially to the axillary lymph center. The T1 gland always drains exclusively cranially and A2 exclusively caudally. The two mammary glands (T1 and A1) often drain towards the sternal cranial lymph nodes, but 100% of the T2 drain towards it. This research assumes that the limit between the two directions of drainage can exist only between glands T2 and A1. The results obtained with the study of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th mammary glands permit production of new and more complete data of functional significance that will eventually aid block dissection surgical technique in the removal of malignant tumors in cats. J. Morphol. 000: 000 -000, 2005.

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.