Descriptive & Topographical Terminology

Anatomy

Anatomy

A branch of biological sciences, which deals with the form and structure of the body and its parts.

Anatomein

A Greek verb which means “to cut open, to dissect”.

Carnivora, Canidae, Canis, Familiaris, Domestic Dog

Taxonomy of Dog

• Order:

• Family:

• Genus:

• Species:

• Common Name:

Topographical / Regional Anatomy

All the structures that are present in each region or parts of the body are studied in order (in which they should present themselves) during dissection.

Systemic / Systemic Anatomy

The branch of anatomy that deals with the different systems in the animal body; studied one after another

Plane / Anatomical Plane

A surface real or imaginary, along which any two points can be connected by a straight line.

Median Plane, Sagittal Plane, Transverse Plane, Dorsal Plane

What are the (4) anatomical planes of reference?

Median Plane

• It divides the head or limb longitudinally into equal right and left halves.

• A special kind of sagittal plane that runs down the center of the body lengthwise and divides it into equal left and right halves.

• It could also be called a mid-sagittal plane, but that term is not commonly used.

• Left & right are equal.

Sagittal Plane

• Passes through the head, body, or limb parallel to the median plane.

• A plane that runs the length of the body and divides it into left and right parts that are not necessarily equal halves.

• Left & right are unequal.

Transverse Plane

• A plane across the body that divides it into the cranial (head—end) and caudal (tail- end).

• A horizontal plane that divides the animal into upper and lower portions.

• A cross section.

Dorsal Plane

• Runs at right angles to the median and transverse planes and thus divides the body or head into dorsal and ventral portions.

• Divides the dog into dorsal (back) and ventral (belly) portions.

dorsal, ventral

____ refers to back and _____ to belly.

Section

Cuts through various places of the body to display internal structures.

Transverse / Cross Section

A cut through the transverse plane.

Sagittal / Longitudinal Section

A cut through the sagittal plane or long axis dividing the body or structure into unequal right and left halves.

Directional Terms

It describes the positions of structures relative to other structures or locations in the body.

Dorsal

What directional term is towards the spine?

Ventral

What directional term is towards the belly?

Medial

What directional term is towards the midline?

Lateral

What directional term is away from the midline?

Rostral

What directional term is towards or relatively near the tip of the nose? It applies to the head only, near the muzzle.

Caudal

What directional term is towards or relatively near the tail or on the limbs? It applies to the carpus and tarsus.

Cranial

What directional term is towards the head; on the limbs? It applies proximal to the carpus and tarsus.

Recumbency

• It is defined as lying down.

• Certain procedures require an animal to be positioned in a particular ____.

Dorsal Recumbency

• Animal is lying on its back.

• Also known as supine recumbency.

Ventral Recumbency

• Animal is lying on its belly.

• Also known as sternal recumbency or prone recumbency.

Lateral Recumbency

• Animal is lying on its side.

• An animal lying on its right side is said to be in right lateral recumbency.

Dorsal, Ventral, Medial, Lateral, Rostral, Caudal, Cranial

What are the (7) directional terms?

Internal / Inner

What are the term for “close to or in the direction of the center of an organ , body cavity, or structure”?

External / Outer

What are the term for “away from the center of an organ or structure”?

Superficial

• Relatively near the surface of the body or the surface of a solid organ.

• For example, the integumentary system (skin) is ______.

Deep

• Relatively near the center of the body or the center of a solid organ.

• For example, the digestive system is ____.

Internal / Inner, External / Outer, Superficial, Deep

What are the (4) terms used in the description of organs?

Proximal

• Relatively near the main mass or origin.

• In the limbs and detail, the attached end of that structure.

• Located close to the sagittal plane.

Distal

• Away from the main mass or origin.

• Greater distance in the limbs and tail, the free end of that structure.

• Located away from the sagittal plane.

Proximal, Distal

What term used for blue & red?

Radial

• On the side of the forearm.

• This is where the radius is located

Ulnar

• On the side of the forearm.

• This is where the ulna is located.

Medial, Lateral

• The tibial side is ____.

• The fibular side is _____.

Palmar

• The aspect of the forepaw (palm of the hand) on which the pads are located.

• The corresponding surface of the metacarpus and carpus

Plantar

• The aspect of the hindpaw (sole of the foot) on which the pads are located.

• The corresponding surface of the metatarsus and tarsus.

Proximal, Distal, Radial, Ulnar, Tibial & Fibular, Palmar, Plantar

What are the (7) terms used in the description of appendages?

Axial

• Lies close to the axis of a central digit.

• Close to the axis of the limb if this passes between two digits.

Abaxial

The distance of position are away from the reference axis.

Flexion

• The movement of one bone in relation to another where the angle formed at their joint is reduced.

• The limb is retracted or folded, the digit is bent, and the back is arched dorsally.

Extension

• The movement of one bone upon another where the angle formed at their joint increases.

• The limb reaches out, the digit is straightened, and the back is straightened.

Abduction

The movement of a part is away from the median plane.

Adduction

The movement of a part is toward the median plane.

Circumduction

• The movement of a part when outlining the surface of a cone.

• The thoracic limb extended drawing a circle.

Spine Rotation

• Refers to the rotation of one spinal vertebrae in relation to its neighbor or neighboring vertebrae along the transverse plane.

• This is most common in the canine cervical spine (neck), but can also occur in the TL junction or tail.

Pronation

• Refers mainly to inward rotation of the ball and socket joint in the hip and shoulder.

• Internal Rotation

• The palmar or plantar surface of the paw faces ventrally

Supination

• Refers mainly to outward rotation of the ball and socket joint in the hip and shoulder.

• It is the rotational movement of the back of the hand facing caudal.

• Lateral rotation of the paw so that the palmar or plantar surface faces medially or dorsally.

Pronation, Supination

• ______ : Rotate the limb inward, medially.

• ______ : Rotate the limb outward, laterally.

Lateral Flexion

• Refers to the bending of the spine to the side along the dorsal plane.

• It can occur along the entirety of the canine spine.