Nigerian Veterinary Journal

Gross Morphological and Histological Features of Some Digestive Apparatus in the Domestic Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus)

Comfort Yakubu — 2026-10-30

The present study describes the morphology and histological characteristics of some digestive apparatus of five adult domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domestica). The digestive structures of the head and trunk of the birds were obtained from a local market after routine slaughter for human consumption. The roof of the oropharyngeal cavity presented a rostral premaxillary horny plate and horny lamella on the lateral edges. The tongue comprised of apex, body and roots, and showed papillae of different dimensions. The stomach consists of proventriculus and muscular gizzard divided by the isthmus. Histologically, the esophageal mucosa comprised of four tunics. The esophageal-crop junction was devoid of mucosal gland, whereas, at the esophagealproventriculus junction, the mucosa epithelium modified to a crypt-like folds. The mucosal wall of the proventriculus showed polymorphic proventricular glands. The gizzard was lined by cuticle and the propria presented the ventricular glands. This study highlights structural adaptations of the digestive apparatus of domestic ducks, emphasizing the interplay between structure and function. This may serve as reference for veterinarians, anatomists, and researchers in avian biology.

Gross and Histomorphological Studies of the Respiratory Apparatus of Adult Speckled Pigeons (Columba guinea)

Yagana Ahmed Gazali1 — 2026-10-30

The avian respiratory system is structurally the most complex and functionally the most efficient among the extant air-breathing vertebrates. This study provides a preliminary description of the respiratory apparatus of adult speckled pigeons using gross dissection and histomorphology. Five birds of either sex were used for this purpose. The cranial larynx was situated caudal to the root of the tongue, supported by paired rostral arytenoid and the caudal cricoid cartilages. It was capped by the laryngeal mound, lined by the stratified squamous epithelium. A row of pharyngeal papillae marked its caudal ends. The trachea comprised of overlapping cartilaginous rings, lined by pseudostratified ciliated epithelium with goblet cells. The caudal larynx was tracheobronchial type. The tracheal lumen was divided by a wedge-shaped pessulus at the syringeal area, into paired extrapulmonary primary bronchus. The lungs were triangular shaped, and presented a pair of five costal impressions on its dorsal border. The neopulmonary portion of the lung parenchyma presented pleomorphic parabronchus that was divided by inter-parabronchial septum. The lumen of these parabronchi presented atrium and air capillaries of varying size and shapes. The findings provide baseline anatomical and histological information that may serve as a useful reference for comparative anatomical and veterinary studies of Columbidae.

Patterns of Disease Burden in Dogs and Cats in Sokoto, Nigeria: A Multifactor Analysis of Illness Duration, Systemic Involvement, and Demographic Influences.

Abubakar Umar — 2026-10-30

Dogs and cats play important roles as companion animals, yet information on their disease pattern
in northwestern Nigeria remains limited. This study evaluated disease occurrence in dogs and cats
presented to Veterinary Clinic, Sokoto, with emphasis on illness duration, body systems affected
and demographic influences. A retrospective study was conducted using clinical records of canine
and feline cases presented to the Veterinary Clinic. Data were collected electronically and analyzed
using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests in SPSS version 29. Disease patterns were assessed
according to illness duration (peracute, acute, subacute and chronic), body systems affected,
disease type (infectious or non-infectious) and demographic variables including age, sex and
breed. A total of 1,424 canine and 740 feline cases were analyzed. In dogs, infectious diseases
predominated (69.9%), with Acariasis being the most common diagnosis (39.4%), while in cats,
non-infectious diseases predominated (67.2%), with traumatic injury (26.1%) and helminthosis
(19.1%) being the most frequent conditions. Acariasis remained the most common disease across
all illness-duration categories in dogs, whereas traumatic injury and helminthosis predominated in
cats. Infectious diseases in dogs mainly affected the cutaneous and gastrointestinal systems, while
non-infectious diseases predominantly involved the musculoskeletal system. In cats, infectious
diseases primarily affected the gastrointestinal and cutaneous systems, whereas non-infectious
diseases mainly involved the musculoskeletal system. Age significantly influenced the body
systems affected in dogs (χ² = 40.70, p < 0.001) and cats (χ² = 22.15, p = 0.03), whereas sex and
breed showed no significant associations. Disease occurrence in dogs and cats in Sokoto varies
according to illness duration, body system involvement and age. The predominance of Acariasis
in dogs and traumatic injuries in cats highlights priority areas for preventive veterinary
interventions and improved companion animal healthcare.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Indigestible Rumen Foreign Materials in Cattle Slaughtered at Brikama Abattoir, The Gambia

Alpha Kargbo — 2026-10-30

A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2025 to December 2025 to determine the prevalence and types of Indigestible Foreign Materials (IFMs) in cattle slaughtered at Brikama Abattoir, The Gambia. Post-mortem examination was performed on 384 cattle to inspect the rumen for IFMs. Out of these 384 examined cattle, our result shows that the prevalence of indigestible foreign materials was found was 31.5% (121/384. Plant seeds, predominantly Detarium senegalense, were the most frequently identified foreign body at 12.0% (46/384). Polythene bags were the second most prevalent material at 9.6% (37/384), followed by clothing materials at 5.2% (20/384) and ropes at 4.7% (18/384). Adult cattle aged 6 to 9 years constituted the majority of affected animals. Cattle managed under extensive free-grazing systems in urban and peri-urban areas face substantial risks of rumen impaction due to environmental contamination with plastic waste and other non-biodegradable debris. Enforcing national plastic ban policies and resuming community waste management programs are strongly recommended to mitigate livestock health risks.

Radiographic Evaluation of Coxofemoral Angles in Boerboel Dogs: Comparison Between Manual and Autocad Measurement

Michael Efeturi Okandeji — 2026-10-30

Evaluation of the mechanical and anatomical orientation angles of the coxofemoral joint is
important for diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making, using extended ventrodorsal
radiographs. Although coxofemoral angles have been described in several dog breeds, information
on Boerboels remains limited. This study evaluated radiographic coxofemoral angles in Boerboel
dogs and compared manual, with AutoCAD-derived measurements. Ventrodorsal radiographs of
65 Boerboel dogs were assessed. Manual measurements were obtained using a ruler and protractor,
while digital measurements were performed using AutoCAD version 2020. The Norberg angle
(NA), femoral inclination angle (FIA), acetabular index angle (AIA), centre edge angle (CEA),
sourcil sector angle (SSA), lateral proximal femoral angle (LPFA), and lateral distal femoral angle
(LDFA) were radiographically-determined. Intra-class correlation coefficients were calculated to
evaluate repeatability, and comparisons between sexes, dysplastic status, and measurement
techniques were made using Fischer's exact test at p < 0.05. Results revealed high intra-class
correlation coefficients for NA, SSA, and LDFA. Both AIA and LPFA were significantly (p <
0.05) lower in male Boerboels. FIA was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in Boerboels with hip
dysplasia (HD) than in normal dogs, while NA and AIA were significantly lower in Boerboels
with HD than in normal Boerboels. Manual measurements for LFO, NA, and CEA were
significantly (p < 0.05) higher than AutoCAD measurements, while manual SSA, AIA, and FIA
measurements were significantly (p < 0.05) lower. In conclusion, NA, AIA, and FIA are reliable
screening tools for HD. FIA is also useful for prognostic and therapeutic decisions in hip prosthesis
design for dogs requiring surgery secondary to severe HD. Software like DICOM and AutoCAD
are recommended, to enhance coxofemoral measurement reproducibility.

Effect of breed on some serum activities of liver enzymes, protein and metabolic status of apparently healthy laying domestic chickens

Ernest Chukwuamachago Nweze — 2026-10-30

This study evaluated the effect of breed on the liver enzymes, protein and metabolic profiles of laying domestic chickens kept in the tropical eco-zone of Nigeria. A total of two hundred (200) chickens were studied. The serum biochemical characteristics of four chicken breeds (genotypes) from south-eastern part of Nigeria were to compare. The chickens were grouped based on their breeds (genotypes) in a Completely Randomized Design. The breeds (genotypes) were Black Australorp (BA), Isa Brown (IS), Noiler (NOI) and Local chicken (LC) at 50 chickens per breed/genotype. Ten (10) birds per breed/genotype were drawn and their blood samples analyzed for serum biochemical studies following standard procedures. The mean serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (22.77±1.67 iu/l) activities, albumin (A) concentration (2.61±0.36 g/dl) and total protein (TP) (4.40±0.22 g/dl) concentration of LC were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the values of IS. The mean globulin (G) concentration of BA was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the values of IS and NOI but showed no significant (p > 0.05) difference when compared to the values of LC. There were however, no significant (p > 0.05) variations in the
mean serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glucose, calcium and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio among all the breeds/genotypes investigated in this study. It was concluded that significant variations in the serum levels of some of the assayed liver enzymes, protein and metabolic profiles due to breed variations in the chickens studied.