María Teresa Halabi; Francisca Bahamondes; Gino Cattaneo; Luis Adaro & Estefanía Flores

Summary

Experimental veterinary surgery on small animals -particularly dogs- has restrictions, mainly regarding affect; therefore it is necessary to have a model of the animal to perform such procedures. This model must have anatomic characteristics which homologate those of dogs, but it must also fulfill ease of use and handling. Being a species traditionally used in experimentation, rabbits could be an excellent animal model for this purpose. The goal of this study is to describe the anatomotopography of the stomach of the rabbit and then compare it with the dogs. Three elements were considered: 14 rabbits exposed to various conservation techniques for their later anatomical study, the instruments and supplies to develop such morphological study and a bibliographic record of anatomical parameters of the dog's stomach. The results of this essay show that rabbits have a stomach with a morphology, location and orientation similar to the one of a dog, varying on its relation to other anatomical structures, the irrigation of this organ is as well very similar to the one of the dog. According to what was observed on the stomach, rabbits may be used as an animal model to perform different experimental surgical essays.

KEY WORDS: Rabbit; Stomach; Morphology; Animal model.

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