Let’s be honest. We are all guilty of attempting to diagnose potential health-related concerns on the internet first – and that practice extends to evaluating our dogs. If you suspect your pup is having leg problems be sure to talk with your vet. Some dog anatomy research, however, may help you prepare – specifically dog leg anatomy and the terms vets will use to describe different parts of your dog’s front and rear legs. We’re putting dog leg anatomy into human terms to simplify and help you remember.
Dog Knee and Knee Cap
Dog leg anatomy is complex, especially dog knees, which are found on the hind legs. The technical term for a dog knee is the stifle joint. The stifle joint connects the femur, which is the dog thigh bone, to the tibia and fibula, the lower leg bones, and the patella,the canine equivalent to the knee cap.
Many dogs’ suffer from stifle joint-related injuries and injuries of the ligaments that stabilize the stifle joint. Two of the most common are torn ACLs (CCLs) and luxating patellas. Patellar luxation occurs when the dog’s kneecap is dislocated from its normal position.
Dog ACL
Ligaments stabilize joints. Ligament injuries are fairly common in both humans and dogs. Dog’s technically do not have an ACL, which stands for the anterior cruciate ligament in humans. Instead, dog’s have a CCL, which means cranial cruciate ligament. The CCL is a knee (or stifle) ligament. Torn CCLs are a common rear leg dog injury. Learn more about dog ccl tears and treatment options.
The dog equivalent of the ankle is called the hock. The hock is part of a dog’s hind leg anatomy and connects the shin bones to the paw bones. Learn more about canine hock injuries.
Dog Elbow and Wrist
While dogs technically do not have arms, they do have elbows and wrists. Their elbows and wrists are part of the front leg anatomy. The front legs are also called forelegs. Like humans, the foreleg is made up of the radius and ulna. The wrist is also called the carpus. Learn more about canine wrist injuries and treatments.
Talking to Your Vet About Dog Leg Injuries
It’s important that you speak with a licensed veterinarian to properly diagnose any leg-related health concerns you have about your dog. It is helpful, however, to be able to speak the same language and understand the common canine leg anatomy terms your vet may use when discussing your pup’s potential condition.
Prepare for your vet consultation or visit by looking for specific leg injury signs and symptoms your vet may ask about:
Dog leg anatomy is complex, especially dog knees, which are found on the hind legs. The technical term for a dog knee is the stifle joint. The stifle joint connects the femur, which is the dog thigh bone, to the tibia and fibula, the lower leg bones, and the patella,the canine equivalent to the knee cap.
The knee joint, or 'stifle joint' as it's known in dogs, sits much higher on a dog's hind legs, and they tend to have short femurs (thigh bones). It may look like a dog has a continuous thigh, but they have a femur bone as well as fibula and tibia to make up their shin bones.
The main muscles in a dog's hind legs include the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gastrocnemius. The quadriceps are responsible for extending the knee joint, while the hamstrings help in flexing the knee and extending the hip joint.
The hindlimb skeleton of the canine includes the pelvic girdle, consisting of the fused ilium, ischium, and pubis, and the bones of the hindlimb. The bones of the hindlimb are the femur, patella, fabellae (sesamoid bones), tibia, fibula, tarsus and meta-tarsus and the digital bones.
The canine Achilles tendon is also known as the common calcaneal tendon. It is made up of multiple tendons from different muscles in the hind limb to comprise the Achilles tendon. Achilles tendon injuries can be: Traumatic - injuries caused by lacerations, blunt force trauma, or overstretching the tendon.
The knee is located at the front of the hind leg. The upper thigh is situated just above the knee on the hind leg. The lower thigh is the one found beneath the knee and goes all the way to the hock. The hock is that joint that makes a sharp angle at the back of the legs.
There is much greater density in canine bones than in human bones. The dog's forelimb and rear limb are a quarter thicker in diameter than the human upper arm and thigh. Canine bones are also less porous. The two bones of the human forearm are separate, but the two bones of the dog's forelimbs are often fused together.
The saphenous vein is located on the lateral (outside) side of the lower back leg (right below the knee). The fur over the area should be clipped to allow easier visualization and prevent blood seeping into the fur.
The longissimus dorsi muscle. The longissimus dorsi muscle shows an extremely high capacity for force generation within the axial musculoskeletal system of both breeds of dog (Fig.
In the canine body, the strongest bone is likely the femur, which is the thigh bone. The femur is the longest and heaviest bone in the body, and it supports the majority of the dog's weight. It attaches to the pelvis at the hip joint and to the knee joint, allowing for movement in these areas.
The stifle joint (often simply stifle) is a complex joint in the hind limbs of quadruped mammals such as the sheep, horse or dog. It is the equivalent of the human knee and is often the largest synovial joint in the animal's body. The stifle joint joins three bones: the femur, patella, and tibia.
Cooked Chicken and Turkey Bones: These bones are most likely to splinter. Small bones are also more prone to getting lodged in the throat and esophagus than larger, more solid bones. T-Bones: T-bones, due to their shape, can become stuck in a dog's throat while the other end is down the esophagus or trachea.
The bone marrow in a marrow bone is really tasty for dogs. Besides their rounded palatable character, marrow bones are a rich source of fat, minerals, and vitamins and probably are a dog's favorite recreational chew.
We don't call them fingers or toes, but if you take a look at your dog's feet you'll find that on their back legs they usually have four “toes” and on their front feet they most often have five “fingers”. Some dogs have an extra nail on the upper, inner part of their front feet and that is called a dewclaw.
The dog's head bobs up on the painful side and down on the side with the good leg. A dog usually takes shorter steps on a painful or weak leg. With chronic lameness, the dog may take very short strides with no noticeable limp. This is also true if more than one leg hurts with arthritis for example.
The dog stifle (knee) is anatomically very similar to a human knee. There are two long bones, the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bone), and a small bone, the patella, which articulate together.
At high speeds (especially when turning) or on slippery surfaces, these dewclaws provide extra traction and help stabilize the carpal (wrist) joint. Some dogs also use their dewclaws to help them climb trees or hold objects to better chew on them. The usefulness of dewclaws that are only attached by skin is less clear.
There are some parts found on both the hind legs and the forelegs. These are the paw or the foot located on each leg. The paw has got nails at the end of each toe, and paw pads. They are found under the foot and the dewclaws which are vestiges of thumbs.
Introduction: My name is Pres. Carey Rath, I am a faithful, funny, vast, joyous, lively, brave, glamorous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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