the axial skeleton Flashcards
what is the axial skeleton?
runs from the skull to the tip of the tail and includes the the skull, mandible, vertebrae and sternum
the caudal part of the skull that provides the ‘bony case’ in which the brain sits is called the _____?
Cranium
the bones of the cranium include:
- Parietal
- temporal
- Frontal
- Occipital
- Zygomatic bone and Arch
- Lacrimal
Where is the Foramen Magnum located and what is it’s role?
It’s a large whole within the occipital region through which the spinal cord passes.
Many of the bones of the skull are joined together by fibrous joints called ______?
Sutures
What is the mandible?
The lower jaw
What three morphological forms of dog skulls are generally recognised?
- Dolichocephalic
- Mesaticephalic or mesocephalic
- Brachycephalic
Define Dolichocephalic
The head, particularly the nose, is long and arrow
e.g Grey hound
Define Mesaticephalic/ mesocephalic
this is the ‘normal’/ average shape of doing skull
e.g Kelpie, Labrador, Beagle
Define Brachycephalic
The cranium is often more rounded and the nose is short, sometimes even ‘pushed in’ because of the shortening of the nasal chambers, hard palate and mandible.
e.g Boxer, pug, bulldog
What is the vertebral column
consists of a number of bones arranged in a series along the dorsal midline of the body, extending from the base of the skull to the tip of the tail
The vertebrae are divided into regions depending upon their position in the body.
What are these regions?
- Cervical (C) - Neck region
- Thoracic (T) - Thoracic region
- Lumbar (L) - lower back or abdominal region
- Sacral (S) - Croup or pelvic region
- Caudal (Cd) - in the tail
Each Species has a characteristic number of vertebrae within each region which is written as a formula.
Whats the formula of a dog and cat?
C7, T13, L7, S3, Cd20-23
how many pairs of ribs are in the dog and cat?
13 pairs
