Anatomic and Directional Flashcards
Cranial
Towards the Head
Caudal
Towards the Tail
Dorsal
Refers to the back
Ventral
Belly or underside of the body or body part
Medial
Towards the midline
Lateral
Away from midline
Proximal
Nearest the midline, beginning of a structure
Used for locations on a limb and tail
Distal
Farthest from the midline or beginning of a structure furthest from body
(Used for location on a limb and tail)
Plantar
Pertaining to the sole of the back paws/hoofs (up to the hock)
Palmar
Pertaining to the sole of the front paws/hoofs
Up to hock
Rostral
Nose end of the head
Cephalic
Pertaining to the head
Also vein in front legs commonly used for IV catheters or blood draws
Sagittal plane
Plane that divided the body into unequal right and left halves
Dorsal plane
Plane that divided the body into dorsal and ventral parts
Aka: frontal plane or coronal plane
Transverse plane
Plane that divides the body into cranial and caudal
Aka: horizontal plane or cross-sectional plane
Thorax
The part of the body between the neck and the abdomen
Aka: the chest
Thoracic inlet
Opening at the top of the thoracic cavity
Aka: superior thoracic aperture
Abdomen
The portion of the body between the thorax and the pelvis containing the abdominal cavity and abdominal organs
Pelvis
The caudal portion of the trunk of the body, forming a basin bounded ventrally and laterally by the hip bones and dorsally by the sacrum and coccygeal vertebrae
Groin
The junctional region between the abdomen and the thigh
the inguinal region
Inguinal
Pertaining to the groin
Axillary
Pertaining to the armpit
Umbilicus
Scar marking the site of entry of the umbilicus cord in the fetus (called navel)
Dewclaw
The rudimentary first digit of a dog and cat found on the inner side of the front legs above the weight bearing digits
Flank
The side of the body between the ribs and ilium
Muzzle
The part of the face supported by the maxillae and nasal bones. Part of the dogs head, anterior to the stop and cheeks, containing nasal passages and bearing the nose pad
Pinna
Projecting part of the ear lying outside the head
Auricle
Rump
The gluteal region, region around the pelvis, hindquarters, buttocks
Stifle
The homolog of the human knee in the quadruped, made up of the femorotibial and femoropatellar joints
Hock
The ankle joint of a quadrupeds, the tarsus
