11 topography of the major salivary glands in rabbits

Salivary glands are important in research articles, because of their different functions (Asari et al., 2000). They develop in different locations, having a very various architecture, secreting different types of saliva (Jaskoll et al., 2002). The major salivary glands are parotid, mandibular and sublingual glands. These glands have an important role in aliments’ digestion through their secretions (saliva), which is serous, mucous or sero-mucous, containing different enzymes, water, mucopolysaccharides and lubrefiant glycoproteins (Al-Saffar and Simawy, 2014; Boșca et al., 2014). In this study, we used five healthy male rabbits from a private breeder in Cluj, sacrificed by the owner for own consumption. Subsequently, the anatomical regions of major salivary glands were shaved and cleaned with alcohol. Macroscopical exam revealed that the rabbits’ parotid gland is the most voluminous gland, having the aspect of a scythe blade. The mandibular gland has a lobate appearance. We noticed that there is an asymmetry between the two mandibular glands, the right one being more developed than the left one. Sublingual gland is the smallest gland, being covered by surrounding connective tissue. Inferior buccal glands gathered and formed a major salivary gland, the labial gland, situated at the lips commissure.