Structure and arterial vascularization of the kidney in the European fallow deer (Dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus)

The red deer (Cervus elaphus) and the European fallow deer (Dama dama) belong to the deer family and are found in Eurasia, North America and South America. In Poland, just after the European roe deer, they are the most common cervids.

The present study aimed to describe the morphological structure and vascularization of kidneys in red and fallow deer. For this purpose, 96 kidneys were obtained from 48 individuals, which were measured and weighed. Preparations were made using two methods. The first allowed the renal arteries to be injected with stained latex and the soft tissues fixed in a formalin solution. The second is to obtain a corrosive preparation by injecting a self-curing polymer and leaving it in an enzymatic bath. The kidneys of the red deer are larger and heavier than those of the European fallow deer. The relation of the cortex to the medulla is similar between the two species, with a marked difference between wild and farmed specimens, indicating a correlation between kidney morphology and environmental factors. The renal artery is a strongly marked vessel that bifurcates into the cranial renal artery and the caudal renal artery, with subsequent triple segmentation of each, resulting in efficient vascularisation of a vital organ for survival. The information gathered may prove crucial to the future veterinary care of farmed cervids.