General Anatomical Structures in Your Dog

Arranged as • Sensory structures• Vital organs• Skeletal structures

Each organized by• Anatomy• Physiology• Healthcare• Diseases

Models provided by Banfieldphotographs and descriptionsprovided by http://peer.tamu.eduCollege of Veterinary MedicineTexas A & M University

NCRR GK12

EAR

Vertical Canal

Pinna (flap)

TemporalisMuscle

Ear Drum

Ossicles

Tympanic Bulla

AuricularCartilage

HorizontalCanal

Middle Ear Cavity

EAR

• Thousands of tiny hairs inside your pet’s ear vibrate when sound is present. This allows for the sense of hearing.

EAR

Sound causes the tympanic membrane in the external ear canal to move inward and outward. This causes the tiny bones in the middle ear to vibrate. Movement of the oval window generates pressure waves in the inner ear. This causes microscopic hairs on hair cells in the inner ear to bend. This ultimately results in the auditory nerve sending signals to the brain and thus, sound is perceived.

• Ears must be kept clean to prevent opportunistic diseases and hearing loss.

EAR

• Ear mites and yeast infections are common in our four-legged friends.

EAR

EYE

Blood Vessels

VitreousBody

AnteriorChamber

Ciliary bodyOccular Muscle

Retina

Optic Disk

Pupil

Lens

Cornea

Iris

EYE

Occular Muscles

The cornea and lens focus light on the retina. The rods and cones in the retina respond to this light and ultimately signal the ganglion cells to send information via the optic nerve to visual centers in the brain.

• Keep your pet’s eyes clean to prevent infections.– Trim the hair around your pet’s eyes.– Make sure the corners of your pet’s

eyes are mucus-free.– Apply protective ophthalmic ointment

before applying insecticides or bathing.

EYE

• Cataracts occur when the lens loses opacity. Light no longer is transmitted to the retina correctly. This leads to vision loss.

EYE

HAIRHair Shaft

Epidermis

SebaceousGland

Flea

HairFollicle

Apocrine SweatGland Nerve

SarcoptesMite

Demodex Mite

HAIR

• Hair functions as a protective layer, a warming layer and sometimes (like whiskers) hair is used to feel touch.

HAIR

• Your pet’s hair must be kept clean just like yours. Tangles or mats in your animal’s hair can lead to infection of the skin below.

HAIR

• Demodex mites cause a condition called mange as they eat your hair at the base.

HAIR

NAILOuter Nail

Quick(Blood vessel & nerve)

Bone

NAIL

• Nails are used for gripping, hunting and fighting.

NAIL

• All pets, especially those who stay indoors should have their nails clipped regularly.

NAIL

• Nail cracking is common injury to your pet’s nails, and it often occurs when your pet’s nails get too long. Cracked nailed are painful and can lead to infection.

NAIL

TEETHCrown

DentinalWall

Neck

RootFurcation

Periodontal Space

RootApex Bone

Loss

Loss of Enamel

Periodontal Disease

Nerve RootInflammation

Root

AlveolarBone (jaw)

Pulp Cavity

TEETH

• Teeth break down food into digestible pieces.

TEETH

• Your pet’s teeth must be kept clean (just like yours) to prevent disease.

TEETH

• Periodontal disease is an infection around the teeth which can cause your animal’s teeth to fall out.

TEETH

HEART

Right Atrium

Aorta

Pulmonery Artery

Left Atrium

Mitral Valve

Left Ventricle

InterventricularSeptum

Heartworms

Right Ventricle

TricuspidValve

HEART

The heart is the most important muscle in the body. The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs. This oxygenated blood then returns to the heart and is then pumped by the left ventricle pumps to the rest of the body.

• To maintain a healthy heart your pet (as well as you) must get plenty of exercise.

HEART

• Heartworms come from mosquitoes and they invade the heart and can lead to heart failuire.

HEART

KIDNEY

Healthy Tissue

Renal Vein Renal Artery

Renal Pelvis

Diseased Tissue

Capsule

Cortex

Medulla Calix

Ureter

KIDNEY

The kidney is one of the most important organs in the body. Besides eliminating waste products from the body, the kidneys regulate water balance, the composition of blood, blood pressure and blood volume.

• Be sure your pet is drinking plenty of water and staying away from toxic chemicals.

KIDNEY

• Kidney stones can occur when there is too much minerals in your pet’s diet.

KIDNEY

HIPSFemoral Neck Acetabulum Rim

FemoralHead

Dysplasia/Arthritis

Femur

GreaterTrochanter

HIPS

HIPS

• The hip is a ball and socket joint which aids in leg movement.

HIPS

The hip is a ball and socket joint which aids in leg movement. Bones serve as a point of attachment for muscles and thus provide animals with the ability to move. In addition, bones serve as a storehouse for calcium and a site for producing red blood cells. Calcium is essential for muscles and nerves to function properly. Red blood cells are required for transporting oxygen.

• To decrease your pet’s risk of developing arthritis:– Make sure your pet is eating a well-

balanced diet– Do not allow your pet to become

overweight– Keep your pet warm– Keep your pet from injury– Make sure your pet gets plenty of

exercise

HIPS

• Arthritis occurs commonly in dogs and horses. Bone rubbing against bone leads to massive inflammation.

HIPS

PatellaCranial Cruciate LigamentFemur

MedialMeniscus

MedialMeniscus

PatellarLigament

TibiaFibula

Lateral Collateral Ligament

Lateral Meniscus

KNEE

KNEE

KNEE

KNEE

The knee is a high-motion high-stress joint in an animal’s leg. Joints provide a means for bending of extremities and also serve as a means to cushion the forces between bones.

• Make sure your pet gets daily exercise and maintains a healthy weight to prevent damage to the knee joint. Strengthening and stretching muscles around the knee joint will also help prevent injury.

KNEE

• A cranial crutiate ligiment (CCL) tear is a common injury. This results in the joint being unstable.

KNEE

SPINE

Spinal Cord

Intervertebral Disk

Spinal NerveVertebra

Herniated Disc

SPINE

Herniated Disc

• The vertebra provide protection for the spinal cord. Spinal nerves pass between adjacent vertebra. These nerves send signals from the various parts of the body to the brain and also send signals from the brain to activate muscles.

• Make sure your pet maintains a healthy body weight and gets daily moderate exercise.

• Use a chest harness instead of attaching a leash to a buckle collar which can jerk the neck suddenly.

• Train your pet to avoid sudden jerking movements that can stress the spine (such as jumping off furniture).

SPINE

• A herniated disc can put pressure on your pet’s spinal cord. This can lead to paralysis.

SPINE

This has been General Anatomical

Structures in Your Dog

Models provided by Banfieldphotographs and descriptionsprovided by http://peer.tamu.eduCollege of Veterinary MedicineTexas A & M University

See http://peer.tamu.edu/vets.htm for for ready to use presentations for ready to use presentations for veterinarians and follow-up lessons for veterinarians and follow-up lessons for teachers to present in classroomsteachers to present in classrooms

http://peer.tamu.edu/VBB/AnimalResearch.asp

Find it on the web!http://peer.tamu.edu/VBB/Summary.asp

or http://peer.tamu.edu/vets.htm