Vertebral Column - Axial Skeleton

Question 1

What are the functions of the vertebral column?

Answer 1

Stiffen the axis
Maintain posture
Aid locomotion by muscle attachment

Question 2

What is included in the axial skeleton?

Answer 2

Head, neck, thorax, tail

(No limbs or hips) - peripheral skeleton

Question 3

What is the order of the vertebrae?

Answer 3

Cervical (neck) 
Thoracic (rib cage)
Lumbar (back)
Sacral (end of back)
Caudal/coccygeal (tail)

Question 4

How many cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal vertebrae does a dog have?

Answer 4

7
13
7
3
20+

Question 5

How many cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal vertebrae does a pig have?

Answer 5

7
14/15
6/7
4
20+

Question 6

How many cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal vertebrae does a sheep/goat have?

Answer 6

7
13
6-7
4
20+

Question 7

How many cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal vertebrae does an ox have?

Answer 7

7
13
6
5
20+

Question 8

How many cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal vertebrae does a horse have?

Answer 8

7
18
6
5
20+

Question 9

Which vertebrae are considered ‘typical’

Answer 9

C3 - C7

Question 10

What passes through the vertebral foramen?

Answer 10

Vertebral canal and spinal cord

Question 11

What passes through the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 11

Spinal nerves

Question 12

What is the intervertebral foramen made of?

Answer 12

Cranial and caudal notches

Question 13

How are adjacent vertebrae articulated?

Answer 13

Synovial joints

Caudal articulate facet sits inside cranial one

Question 14

Which vertebrae are atypical?

Answer 14

C1 & C2

Question 15

What is the function of the nucleus pulposus? What is it made from?

Answer 15

Act as a shock absorber

Gelatinous cushion

Question 16

What is the annulus fibrosus composed of? What is it’s function?

Answer 16

Concentric fibrous rings

Attach to adjacent vertebrae to provide stability

Question 17

What is the name of C1?

Answer 17

Atlas

Question 18

What is the name of C2?

Answer 18

Axis

Question 19

How is the atlas (C1) different from typical vertebrae?

Answer 19

Reduced body
No spinous process
Large transverse process (palpable ‘wings’)
Articulates with occipital condyles of skull cranially
Articulates with C2 causally (rotary movement of head- no joint)

Question 20

How does the axis (C2) differ from typical vertebrae?

Answer 20

2 bodies
Large, palpable dorsal spinous process
Articulates with Clatlan to axial joint
Only lateral rotation. 
No flexion

Question 21

What are the functions of C3-C7?

Answer 21

Mobile:
Flexion
Extension
Lateral movement
Disc protrusion

Question 22

What does the transverse foramen a carry?

Answer 22

Vertebral vessels and nerves

Question 23

Which cervical vertebrae lacks the transverse foramen?

Answer 23

C7

Question 24

Why are there 7 cervical vertebrae, but 8 spinal nerves? (C8)

Answer 24

Nerves exit from the cervical vertebrae canal cranially
Nerves exit from the thoracic vertebrae canal causally
This leaves a nerve between C7 and T1 called T8

Question 25

How do thoracic vertebrae differ from typical ones?

Answer 25

Short body Long spinous process Small transverse process Costal fovea cranially and causally T1-T10 have caudally angled spinous processes T11-T13 have short, vertical spinous processes

Question 26

What are T11-T13 called?

Answer 26

The anti clinical vertebrae

Question 27

Why is the transverse process of the thoracic vertebrae reduced?

Answer 27

To accommodate for the ribs

Question 28

What are ribs numbered after?

Answer 28

Caudal vertebral articulation

Question 29

What helps articulate the ribs?

Answer 29

The cranially and caudal costal fovea

Question 30

How do lumbar vertebrae differ from typical ones?

Answer 30

``` Long body Short spinous process Large transverse processes Large cranial articular process Accessory process ```

Question 31

Why do horses have very long transverse processes in lumbar vertebrae?

Answer 31

To support the very large GI tract

Question 32

What is the function of the sacral vertebrae?

Answer 32

Articulates with pelvis | No movement, no discs (single bone)

Question 33

What attaches the sacral vertebrae to the pelvis?

Answer 33

Sacrotuberous ligament

Question 34

What do the first few coccygeal vertebrae resemble?

Answer 34

Small lumbar vertebrae

Question 35

How much movement do the coccygeal vertebrae have?

Answer 35

Large amount

Question 36

The first few coccygeal vertebrae have haemal arches. What are these and what is their function?

Answer 36

Small chevrons in bone | Protect the coccygeal artery

Question 37

When does the vertebral canal disappear?

Answer 37

After Cy 5-7

Question 38

Vertebral arteries are a branch of which major artery?

Answer 38

Subclavian

Question 39

What structures are within an intervertebral disc?

Answer 39

Annulus fibrosis | Nucleus pal poses

Question 40

The Atlanto occipital joint does what head movement?

Answer 40

Yes

Question 41

The Atlanto axial joint does which head movement?

Answer 41

No

Question 42

What does C7 lack?

Answer 42

Transverse foramen

Question 43

What is the name of the articulation between the head of the rib and a vertebra?

Answer 43

Costal fovea

Question 44

Which vertebrae is the anticlinal one?

Answer 44

T11

Question 45

Coccygeal vertebrae are like small lumber. However they have an additional structure centrally. What is this and what does it do

Answer 45

hemal arch | Protect coccygeal artery

Question 46

What ligament holds the ribs to the costal fovea?

Answer 46

Costotransverse ligament.

Question 47

Which ligament holds rib heads together?

Answer 47

Intercapital ligament

Question 48

What is the nuchal ligament?

Answer 48

Elastic ligament found at C2 | Continuous of supraspinous

Question 49

Disc protrusions and extrusions are most common in which vertebrae?

Answer 49

Mobile ones | Lumbar, cervical

Question 50

What is intervertebral disc disease?

Answer 50

Intervertebral disc bulges into spinal cord

Question 51

What is wobbler’s disease?

Answer 51

Cervical vertebrae instability

Question 52

How many articulate facets are there between each vertebrae?

Answer 52

4 - 2 cranial, 2 caudal Except Atlanto-occipital and Atlanto-axial

Question 53

What bounds the thoracic cavity?

Answer 53

THoracic inlet Diaphragm Sternum Vertebrae

Question 54

What layers are there to the thoracic body wall?

Answer 54

``` SKin Cutaneous trunks Superficial fascia Deep fascia and muscles Endothoracic fascia Pleura ```

Question 55

What bounds the abdominal cavity?

Answer 55

Diaphragm Pelvic inlet Lumbar vertebrae Muscle wall

Question 56

What does the nuchal ligament do?

Answer 56

Support the head

Question 57

What are epaxial muscles/

Answer 57

Muscles above the transverse process of vertebrae | 3 groups: transversospinalis, longissimus, iliocostal

Question 58

What are hypaxial muscles?

Answer 58

Muscles below the transverse process of the vertebrae

Question 59

What is the blood supply from the ribs?

Answer 59

Intercostal artery | Runs to costochondral junction where it joins the interthoracic artery