A Macroanatomic Study on the Facial Vein and Its Branches in the Van Cat

Abstract

In this study, five adult Van cats of both sexes, which were obtained from the Van Cat Research Centre, were used as materials. After the washing of the veins of the cats with saline via an external jugular vein, latex was injected via the same vessel into the vein system. Then, materials were fixed and after solidification of the latex, the veins were dissected, identified and presented in images. The majority of the venous drainage of the face is done by the facial vein, which is the direct continuation of the linguofacial vein in the intermandibular region, and its branches. In the Van cat, the facial vein gives off the inferior labial vein, the deep facial vein, the angular vein of the mouth and the masseteric branch on the lateral surface of the face. The facial vein then gives off the medial inferior palpebral vein, the superior labial vein and the lateral nasal vein at the level of the levatory nasolabial muscle and the angular vein of the eye and the dorsal nasal vein at the level of medial angle of the eye. The presence of a masseteric branch which is given by the facial vein and the ramifying of the deep facial vein into the descending palatine vein, the anastomotic branch of the superficial temporal vein and the external ophthalmic vein which is given by the deep facial vein in the Van cat demonstrates that there are differences in the presence, ramification and distribution either of the facial vein or of its branches as compared to domestic cats.