The Feline Dorsal Nerve of the Penis Arises from the Deep Perineal Nerve and Not the Sensory Afferent Branch

Abstract

The cat has been used extensively as an animal model for urogenital studies involving the pudendal nerve. However, discrepancies persist in the literature regarding the origin of the dorsal nerve of the penis (DNP). This study used gross dissections and serial histological cross sections to demonstrate that the DNP arises from the deep perineal nerve and not the sensory afferent branch as previously reported. This finding indicates a better than previously appreciated neuroanatomical homology between the cat and human.