Histology Of The Exocrine Glands Of The Canine Perianal Skin

Abstract

A histopathological study of the perianal skin of indigenous breeds of dogs in Nigeria was carried out in Zaria. The skin in this area had three types of glands: sebaceous, sweat, and hepatoid circumanal glands. Sebaceous glands in this area release their product by holocrine mode in which the whole cell is secreted with its oily secretion, sebum and the sweat glands release their secretion by apocrine, mini-apocrine, apical decapitation and or merocrine mode. The hepatoid circumanal glands were found in both male and female dogs and there was no evidence of ducts in or around these glands. The skin and glands had the normal histologic features reported by earlier workers.

Keywords: Exocrine glands, Canine, Perianal skin

Nigerian Veterinary Journal Vol. 28 (2) 2007 pp. 33-38