Three Procyon cancrivorus females were studied with emphasis for gross and microscopical description of the mammary glands. Samples of the glands were processed with routine techniques for histology. The females studied presented three pairs of mammary glands: one pair of cranial abdominal mammary glands, a second pair of caudal abdominal and a third one, as inguinal mammary glands. Mammary papillae presented a pendulum shape, as in the domestic dogs. Microscopically, the mammary gland consisted from the external to the internal portion (1) of stratified squamous epithelium of the epidermis, (2) dense irregular connective tissue of the derma, and (3) smooth muscle fibers and papillary ducts that flowed with "shower" shape into the lactiferous sinus. The secretory portion consisted of tubule-alveolar glands with cuboidal cells disposed in a simple layer. The results indicate that the set of glandular studies is similar to ones related to dog (Canis familiaris) in such a way in its gross aspect that how much in its microscopically structure. This fact suggests that we can use the raccoon and the dog as similar models of study, for identification of pathologies related to this system.
Procyon cancrivorus; raccoon; mammary gland; morphology
