Communication directed study (Equine and food animal)

Facial Crest

• Description: Longitudinal ridge extending from the zygomatic arch along the maxilla.

• Function and use: Masseter Muscle Insertion

  Anatomical landmark for venipuncture, nerve blocks, and dental procedures.

Forelock

• Description: A lock of mane hair growing from the poll forward.

• Function and use: Aesthetics and insect control

Throat latch

• Description: Ventral area where the head and neck meet.

• Function and use: Site where swelling may be observed in some disease processes/syndromes and in some disciplines, the bridle may be buckled here

Poll

• Description: Dorsal area where the head and neck meet- Atlanto-occipital joint, soft tissue including nuchal ligament

• Function and use: Is important to head movement, balance, coordination, posture and performance.

Mane

• Description: Thick, coarse hair growing along the dorsal aspect of the neck from the poll to the withers.

• Function and use: Aesthetics, and may help with temperature regulation, protection from rain, and insect control.

Crest

• Description: The arched ridge of the dorsal aspect of the neck where the mane grows, from the poll to the withers 

• Function and use: Can be assessed during a physical exam to judge BCS and for certain disease processes. (cresty neck scoring)

Withers

• Description: The ridge created by the dorsal spinous processes of thoracic vertebrae at the base of the neck between the shoulder blades.

• Function and use: Insertion of the supraspinatous and nuchal ligament. This is where a horse's height is measured, and we assess this area for pain, and conformation.

Croup

• Description: The top round area from the point of the hip to the tail head area

• Function and use: We assess this area for pain, and conformation

Flank

• Description: The soft area along a horse’s side just behind the ribcage but cranial to the hind limb.

• Function and use: This area is assessed during physical exams for respiration BCS, and borborygmi

Sheath/Prepuce

• Description: Protective double layered tissue covered with skin around a horse's penis.

• Function and use: This tissue protects the penis. This area must be included in assessment and routine care.

Knee (Equine only)/Carpus

• Description: This composite forelimb joint is composed of radiocarpal, intercarpal and carpometacarpal joints.

• Function and use: The primary forelimb joint absorbing heavy impact.

Stifle

• Description: Complex joint made of the articulation of the femur, tibia and patella.

• Function and use: This hindlimb joint is important for strength, coordination, and the stay apparatus

Chestnut

• Description: Area of keratinized tissue on the medial aspect of the forelimb, just proximal to the carpus, and just distal to the hock on the hindlimb.

• Function and use: Thought to be evolutionary remnants.

  Require appropriate care.

Ergot

• Description: Hardened growth of skin along the back of the fetlock joint on all four legs.

• Function and use: Thought to be evolutionary remnants.

  Require appropriate care

Hock/Tarsus

• Description: Tarsocrural, talocalcaneal, tarsometatarsal, proximal intertarsal and distal intertarsal joints

• Function and use: Complex joint composed of both high and low motion joints. Common site of osteoarthritis in the horse.

Cannon

• Description: In the forelimb: third metacarpal bone

  In the hindlimb: third metatarsal bone

• Function and use: This bone is a weight bearing, shock absorbing bone

Splint bones

• Description: Two small vestigial bones which run along the medial and lateral aspects of the cannon bone.

• Function and use: Thought to be evolutionary remnants.

  Although vestigial, they can become injured and are part of our assessment in the horse

Fetlock joint/Metacarpo(tarso)phalangeal joint

• Description: This joint helps bear weight in the horse and absorb impact during movement

• Function and use: Effusion of this joint is possibly an indicator of pathology.

Long pastern bone/P1 (proximal phalanx)

• Description: May be palpated and viewed radiographically

• Function and use: This bone provides shock absorption and joint stability

Pastern joint/Proximal interphalangeal joint

• Description: Low motion join in the distal limb.

• Function and use: This joint provides shock absorption and joint stability.

Short pastern bone/P2 (middle phalanx)

• Description: May be palpated and viewed radiographically.

• Function and use: This bone provides shock absorption and joint stability.

Coffin joint/Distal interphalangeal joint

• Description: Within the hoof capsule. May be viewed radiographically

• Function and use: This joint absorbs concussive impact and helps roll the foot forward.

Coffin bone/P3 (distal phalanx)

• Description: The distal-most bone, fully enclosed in the hoof.

• Function and use: The bottom most bone, fully enclosed in the hoof, plays a role in bearing weight, shock absorption, and conformation.

Coronary Band

• Description: Highly vascularized tissue area where the haired skin transitions into the hoof wall.

• Function and use: This is the main growth center for the hoof. Assessed in every patient, this area can be involved in many disease processes.

Hoof

• Description: Living keratin structure made up of the wall, frog, and sole.

• Function and use: The function is to bear the weight of the horse, absorb shock and aid in blood circulation.

Paralumbar fossa

• Description: The soft, sunken, triangular hollow between the last rib, hip bone, and transverse vertebral processes.

• Function and use: Equine patient: This area is assessed for gut sounds (borborygmi).

  Bovine patient: This area is used to assess the rumen for motility on the left and other GI sounds on the right during a physical exam

Hooks/Tuber coxae

• Description: These are the ileal wings or the wide prominent bony parts of the cranial pelvis

• Function and use: This area is assessed during a physical exam to determine body condition scoring

Pins/Tuber ischii

• Description: These are the bony projection of the ischium on the caudal aspect of the pelvis

• Function and use: This area is assessed during a physical exam to determine body condition scoring.

Thurls (bovine)/Greater trochanter

• Description: Area of soft tissue overlying the hip joint between the hooks and pins.

• Function and use: This area is assessed during a physical exam to determine body condition scoring and to aid in localization of the hip

Transverse vertebral processes

• Description: The long, broad, flattened, lateral bony projections from the lumbar vertebral bodies

• Function and use: These processes are not only the dorsal border of the paralumbar fossa, but also are the area for the paravertebral nerve block

Brisket (bovine)/Pectoral Muscle

• Description: Lower chest area used in body condition assessment.

• Function and use: This area helps determine body condition.

Tail vein/Coccygeal vein

• Description: This is the vein running along the ventral surface of the tail in the bovine patient.

• Function and use: This is a common vein for access for obtaining a blood sample

Supramammary LN

• Description: These are the lymph nodes that drain the mammary glands in the cow.

• Function and use: Palpated during physical exam, inflammation could indicate disease of the mammary glands.

Claws (lateral and medial)/Medial and lateral digit

• Description: The cloven hoof species have two claws or digits each with a hoof capsule.

• Function and use: These areas are the main weight bearing areas and can be affected by trauma, or disease processes leading to lameness.

Dewclaws/Accessory digit

• Description: Vestigial structures on the lower back part of the leg just above the claws in cattle.

• Function and use: Although they are mostly non-weight bearing they can be the source of pain due to trauma, or disease processes leading to lameness.