Surgical Anatomy of the Gastrointestinal Tract in Cats

Abstract

In cats, the gastrointestinal tract is one of the regions in which surgical procedures are most frequently performed by veterinary surgeons; therefore, knowledge of the surgical anatomy of the feline gastrointestinal tract is of high importance. The main surgical procedures performed include gastrotomy, gastrectomy, enterotomy, and enterectomy, as well as procedures in the liver and pancreas. There are also anatomical differences between dogs and cats, increasing the need for deep knowledge of the anatomy treated in the different surgical approaches. The aim of the present review is to describe in detail the anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract in cats highlighting the anatomical regions of significant importance in different surgical procedures.