Cross and Radiological Studies of the Salivary Gland in Cattle

The present work includes morphological and radiological studies of the salivary gland , saliva is the mixed secretion of these gland the secretion of saliva in ruminants is continuous ,it has been moistest oral mucosa, provide medium for dissolved food and control bacterial flora of the oral cavity , the aim of present work to report more detailed information about the salivary gland and duct in cattle which may be help in both anatomy and surgery aspect, for value impartment can easily removal all salivary gland tissue during surgical operation, the large salivary ducts occasionally cannulated to remove obstructions or to inject a contrast medium for radiographic examination and to be able to palpate the parotid and mandibular salivary gland and different the mandibular salivary gland from lymph nodes ,to be able to trace the ducts of the salivary glands and palpate the parotid duct in the cheek of cattle , to be extirpate the mandibular and monostomac sublingual salivary glands . Collected from (6) fresh preserved heads were used in this study, there were equally divided into two groups : first group to study of shape ,position and relation of major salivary gland also study the morphology of the minor salivary gland and second group study morphological and radio graphical of parotid , mandibular and sublingual duct in cattle.The study revealed that the three major paired salivary glands(parotid ,mandibular and sublingual gland ) in addition four minor salivary glands ( buccal ,lingual ,palatine and labial gland ) into the oral cavity and oropharynx in cattle the mandibular gland ,unlike that of other domestic animals , the mandibular salivary gland is larger than the parotid ,distinctly lobulated and lies in the curve along the medial side of the angle of the mandible and which divides into superficial and deep loop, is easily palpate in the inter mandibular space, the duct open in the sublingual caruncle , the parotid gland has been described having (5) processes ( three superficial and two deep ) ,sublingual gland this is smallest of the major salivary gland , sometimes consists of two parts (compact and diffuse ) it is the almond shaped gland lies deep to the floor of mouth ,un like the parotid and mandibular gland the sublingual gland has no true facial capsule also it has a single duct.Un like the major salivary gland, the minor salivary gland lack a branching network of draining ducts , buccal glands are well developed and arranged in three Bas.j.vet.Res. Vol.12,No.1,2013 66 groups (dorsal, middle and ventral )in cattle , the lingual gland are small lobules under the mucosa and embedded in the musculature, the caudal third of the hard palate is not ridged and bears numerous orifice of the palatine gland ,the labial glands a compact mass near the angle of the mouth , the most commonly occurred radiological findings using surface landmarks parotid duct lies mid way between the facial tubercle and corner of the mouth ,the ducts of the mandibular and compact (monostomatic) sublingual glands open on the floor of the mouth at the sublingual caruncle, they run below the mucous membrane that connects the side of the tongue with the gums.