Morpho-topographic researches on cervico-cephalic lymphcentres at ferret

Abstract

The muscular lymph centers from the cervico-cephalic region emerge with the muscles and in specialty literature there is little information regarding muscles at the ferret, hence why in this study we have also referred to this morphological segment. In the cephalic region, the skin muscles existing at the ferret do not present significant differences to those existing in domestic carnivores, but the masticatory muscles have some peculiarities. The temporal muscle, masseter muscle and digastric muscle are highly developed. On the surface of the masseter muscle is identified a lymphonodular group covered by the skin muscle and tegument. Due to topography, it was considered that this lymphonodular group represents the parotid lymph center, although some authors do not even mention the presence of this lymph center in the ferret. At the ventral edge of the parotid gland and at the mandibular cranio-dorsal edge there is a mandibular lymph center formed by two lymphonodular structures. The retropharyngeal lymph center is represented by a single lymph node. In the cervical region the superficial cervical lymph center was identified, formed by a single structure. Although in speciality literature the presence of the profound cervical lymph center is not signalled, the structure was identified in two from the total of four corpses used.