Comparative Anatomy Flashcards
Describe the vertebrae of the Horse
Cervical - 7 Thoracic - 18 Lumbar - 6 Sacral - 5 Coccygeal - 15-20
Describe the vertebrae of the Cow
Cervical - 7 Thoracic - 13 Lumbar - 6 Sacral - 5 Coccygeal - 18-20
Describe the vertebrae of the Sheep
Cervical - 7 Thoracic - 13 Lumbar - 6-7 Sacral - 4 Coccygeal - 16-18
Describe the vertebrae of the Pig
Cervical - 7 Thoracic - 14-15 Lumbar 6-7 Sacral - 4 Coccygeal - 20-23
How many sternabrae do horses, cows, sheep and pigs have?
Not including the manubrium and the xiphoid process.
Horses, cows and sheep = 5.
Pigs = 4.
Describe the digits of the horse
Only has 1 digit. Digit 3. It has a solid hoof at the end of it.
Describe the digits of cows and sheep
2 main digits - Digit 3 and 4.
Digits 2 and 5 form dewclaws. Dewclaws have a wall and a small bulb, but no phalanges.
Describe the digits of the pig
2 main digits - Digits 3 and 4.
Digits 2 and 5 form dewclaws. Dewclaws have 3 phalanges and a small but well-developed hoof.
What animals have horns? Where do horns form from?
Cows and sheep.
Form from cornual process of the frontal bone.
Describe differences in the forelimbs of horses, cows, sheep and pigs.
Horses: proximal end of the ulna is well-developed, but fused to the radius. The distal end is absent.
Cows, Sheep and Pigs have a complete ulna, but there is little or no movement between the radius and ulna.
Describe the differences in the carpus (or knee) or the horse, cows, sheep and pigs
Pigs have 4 bones in the distal row of carpal bones.
In horses, the first carpal bone, when present, is small and non-weight-bearing.
In cows and sheep, the first carpal bone is not present, and the second and third carpal bones are fused.
Describe the metacarpal bones in horses, cows, sheep and pigs
Pigs have 4 metacarpal bones.
Cows and Sheep have the 3rd and 4th metacarpal bones fused to form the cannon bone.
Horses have no 1st metacarpal bone. The 2nd and 4th small metacarpal bones form splint bones and the 3rd one is the large cannon bone.
Describe the digits of the horse, cow, sheep and pig
Horses only have 1 digit - digit 3.
Cows have 2 main digits (3 and 4). Digits 2 and 5 are seen as dew claws.
Pigs have same as cow and sheep, but their dewclaws are more fully developed.
What is the fetlock?
Metacarpophalangeal joint. Junction between the metacarpals (cannon bone) and the proximal phalanx.
Describe the fibula in the horse, cow, sheep and pig
In the pig, it is the same as in dogs. It extends from the proximal end of the tibia to the lateral aspect of the hock.
Horses only have the proximal end of the fibula and a small part of the shaft.
Cows and Sheep only have a vestige proximal end of the fibula.
Describe the lateral malleolus in horses, cows, sheep and pigs.
They all have the distal end of the fibula which forms the prominent lateral malleolus of the hock.
Horses’ lateral malleolus is fused to the tibia. In ruminants, its a separate bone that articulates with the distal tibia and the tarsal bones.
Describe the tarsus in the horse, cow, sheep and pig
All have the proximal row consisting of 2 bones - the talus and the hock. The central row , and the distal row with 4 bones.
Horses have their central row of tarsal bones reduced to a single central tarsal bone. The distal row of the 4 tarsal bones have the 1st and 2nd fused to a single bone.
List anatomical external points of the horse from nose to tail.
Nose Forehead Poll Crest Withers Back Loins Croup Dock Tail
Name the external points of the forelimb (proximal to distal) including foot
Elbow Chesnut (on inside) Knee Ergot Fetlock Joint Pastern Coronet Hoof
Name the external points of the hindlimb (proximal to distal)
Flank (on body) Stifle joint Gaskin Hock Cannon
Name the bones of the forelimb in the horse(proximal to distal) including foot and joints
Scapula Shoulder joint Humerus Elbow joint Ulna (with olecranon - point of elbow)- fused together Radius Knee/ Carpus joint Proximal row of carpal bones and accessory carpal bone - pisiform Distal Row of Carpal bones Cannon Bone and 2 splint bones (metacarpals) Proximal sesamoid bone Fetlock Joint Proximal Phalanx (long pastern) Pastern Joint Middle phalanx (short pastern) Coffin Joint - with small navicular bone) Distal Phalanx (pedal bone)
Name the bones of the hindlimb in the horse(proximal to distal) including foot and joints
Pelvis Hip Joint Femur Stifle Joint and Patella Tibia and top part of fibula(almost vestigial) Tarsus/ Hock Joint: 1st row tarsal bones: talus and calcaneous 2nd row: central tarsus 3rd row: 1st and 2nd fused, 3 and 4 Splint Bones (2) and cannon bone Proximal sesamoid bone Fetlock Joint Long pastern Pastern Joint Short Pastern Coffin Joint Pedal Bone
What is the guttural pouch in horses
Cavity that extends back under the atlas and forwards over the opening of the throat.
Describe the suspensory ligament of the horse
not the mechanism - yet!
Modified muscles that is more elastic than other ligaments. Lies between the digital flexor tendon and the cannon bone. It is often mistaken for the splint bone as it feels rigid when the horse weight bears.
It splits into two parts at the level of the sesamoid bones and joins with the common digital extensor tendon (CDET) at the front of the pastern. Longest ligament in the lower leg.
What is the function of the suspensory ligament ?
What is the purpose of the suspensory apparatus?
To suspend and prevent over extension of the fetlock joint.
Part of the stay apparatus which supports the fetlock and prevents it falling to the ground.
Describe the Stay Apparatus
Combined action of muscles, tendons and ligaments which allow the horse to stand for long periods of time without fatigue.
Describe the hind leg locking mechanism and its purpose
Alleviates muscular fatigue, whilst standing.
In order to lock the hindleg, the patella is raised and is hooked over the top of the trochlear ridge of the femur. The system is unlocked by contraction of the quadriceps femoris and the biceps femoris, which lifts the patella off the ridge.
Describe the structure of the horse’s hoof
Have a good solid hoof at the end of the third and only digit.
Diamond shaped frog with a central cleft. Sits just in front of the bulbs of the heel. On either side of the frog is the buttress of the heels which move forward to the lateral clefts which join to either side of the frog. The rest is circled around by the wall and the front part is the toe. The sensitive area between the wall and the frog is called the sole.
Describe the key differences between the horse, cow, sheep and pig hooves.
Horses have one digit with a solid hoof. The bulb of their hoof is replaced by a v-shaped frog which is harder than the bulb found in other animals. In horses, most of their weight is carried on the wall and the toe.
Cows sheep and pig have 2 digits ( 3 and 4) and 2 dewclaws (2 and 5).
Even-toed ungulates carry more weight on their lateral digit. The weight is carried on the sole and the bulb of the foot.
In pigs, the bulb is particularly large and as such provides a proportionally larger weight bearing surface.
Describe the dew claws in cows sheep and pigs. Horses don’t have any.
Digits 2 and 5.
In cows and sheep, they do not have well-developed phalanges, but they do have a small bulb and a wall. They do not weight bear.
In Pigs, they do have 3 small phalanges and a small, but well-developed hoof.
What are chesnuts and where are they found?
Horn-like growths. Thought to be vestigial metatarsal and metacarpal footpads.
Found proximal to the carpus and slightly distal to the hock in horses.
What are ergots?
Small projections of cornified epithelium in the centre of the palmar and plantar aspects of the fetlock of the horse,
What is a diastema?
Gap in the teeth between the incisors and the cheek teeth.
Define Heterodont
Have various types of teeth that are specialised for different functions
Define Dihypodont
Set deciduous which fall out and are replaced by permanent teeth.
What is the dental formula for a foal?
1 3/3 C0/0 PM 3/3 = 24
What is the dental formula for a male horse?
I 3/3 C1/1 PM 3or4/3 M3/3 = 40 (or 42)
What is the dental formula for a female horse?
I3/3 C0/0 PM 3or4 M3/3 = 36 (or 40)
What is the main difference between the male and female horse dental formulas?
Mares’ canine may not be present or may be vestigial.