THORACIC LIMB  Distinct acromion

 Has no bony connection to the trunk Dog  NO coracoid and glenoid notch
 Only attached by muscles (synsarcosis)  Narrow scapular cartilage

Bones of the Thoracic Limb  Distinctly triangular

a. Scapula Cattle  Unequal fossae (supra is smaller than
b. Humerus infra)
c. Radius and Ulna  NO notch in glenoid cavity
d. Carpals  Broad scapular cartilage
e. Metacarpals
f. Digits Sheep  NO coracoid process

SCAPULA /shoulder blade/  Spin fades distally

 In all animals: flat rectangular bone  Unequal fossae (supra is smaller than
Horse infra)
 Prominent spine = lateral surface
o Divided into 2:  NO acromion
 Supraspinous fossa  Trapezius tubercle is present
 Infraspinous fossa  Broad scapular cartilage
 Acromion or Hamate process = distal
 Glenoid cavity = shallow articular socket where it  Rhomboid shape
forms the shoulder joint with the head of the humerus  NO acromion
Pig  Prominent trapezius tubercle overhanging
 Supraglenoid tubercle = process near the cranial
aspect of glenoid cavity for the attachment of the infraspinous fossa
biceps brachii muscle  Narrow scapular cartilage

 Distinctly triangular
Cat  Suprahamate process is present

NOTES:
 Narrow scapular cartilage – a cartilaginous
structure on the dorsal border of the scapula
 Coracoid process – small process on the medial side
of the supraglenoid tubercle for the attachment of
coracobrachialis muscle
 Suprahamate process – caudal projection of the
acromion only found in cats

CATTLE

HORSE PIG

DOG
RABBIT CAT

CLAVICLE /collar bone/

Animal Scapula  Separate, non-articulating bone seen radiographically
and found only in cats among quadrupeds
 Spine bisects lateral surface
  Can be mistaken for a bone in the esophagus on b. Intertubercular groove (bicipital groove) – the sulcus
lateral radiograph between the greater and lesser tubercle, through which the
 Birds and primates tendon of biceps brachii runs.
o possess a clavicle which forms a joint with c. Greater tubercle – large process craniolateral to the head
the scapula to which muscles can attach. This is the point of the
 In most quadrupeds shoulder. It is divided into cranial and caudal parts in
o scapula is represented only by a clavicular ungulates.
tendon = a rudimentary structure embedded d. Lesser tubercle – process medial to the head
in brachiocephalic muscles of dogs e. Body or shaft – cylindrical parts connecting the
 Furcula or wishbone = are fused clavicles epiphyses
f. Deltoid tuberosity – a large tuberosity on the lateral side
 Coracoid = in birds which is a separate bone in
of the humerus
addition to the scapula and clavicle
g. Humeral condyle – entire distal extremity of the
humerus.
h. Lateral epicondyle – lateral side of the humeral condyle,
giving rise to the extensors of the forearm. (extensor
epicondyle)
i. Medial epicondyle – medial side of the humeral condyle,
for the attachments of flexors of the forearm. (flexors
epicondyle)
j. Olecranon fossa – caudal excavation receiving the
proximal end of the ulna on extension of the elbow.
k. Radial fossa – excavation opposite of the olecranon fossa
receiving the proximal end of the ulna on flexion of the
elbow.

HUMERUS /brachium/ Animal Humerus

 Long bone forming the upper forelimb
 Radial and olecranon fossae communicate
a. Head – rounded process articulating with the scapula’s through supratrochlear foramen
solenoid cavity to form the shoulder joint. Dog  Greater tubercle is divided into cranial and
caudal
 a. Olecranon – proximal end of the ulna that forms the
 Massive lateral tuberosity overhangs point of the elbow
Cattle bicipital groove b. Trochlear notch (semilunar notch) – in front of the
 Intertubercular groove is divided by a low- olecranon that articulates with the distal humerus
sagittal ridge c. Anconeal process – at the top of trochlear notch that
 Greater tubercle is divided into cranial and is a beak-like projection
caudal d. Lateral styloid process – ulna narrows distally to
this point
 Intertubercular tubercle = present in
bicipital groove RADIUS = a rod-like bone
Horse a. Fovea capitis – is the depression at the proximal end
 Greater tubercle is divided into cranial and
which articulates with the humerus.
caudal
b. Medial styloid process – at the distal end of the
radius
 Lateral tuberosity almost converts bicipital
groove into foramen
Pig  Single = intertubercular groove Interosseus space – space between the ulna and the radius.
 Greater tubercle is divided into cranial and This is readily seen in carnivores and in pigs
caudal

 Undivided greater tubercle Animal Radius and Ulna

Cat  Supracondylar foramen is present
 Coronoid fossa is present Dog  Ulna is not fused with radius
 Ulna is longer than radius

 Ulna complete = projects distally beyond

NOTES: Cattle the radius as the styloid process
 Supratrochlear foramen – found only in dogs but  Ulna is longer than radius
sometimes in pigs. Nothing passes through it.
 Intertubercular tubercle – found at the bicipital Sheep  Ulna is not necessarily fused
groove
 Extremely slender
 Suprecondylar foramen – found only in cats. It is
an opening in the medial epicondyle. Median nerves
 Ulna fused almost 2/3 way down the shaft
and brachial vessels pass through it. Medial to the
of radius
radial fossa for medial coronoid process of the ulna
Horse  Radius is longer than ulna
on the flexion of the elbow
 Ulna is massive and articulates with the
Pig/Porcin radius and ulnar carpal
e  Ulna is longer than radius

Avian  Ulna is longer than radius

The horse has proximal interosseous space while the

ruminant has proximal and distal ones.

CARPAL BONES
RADIUS AND ULNA /antebrachium/  Complex region that includes 2 rows of small
 Radius = medial bones
o The main weight-bearing bone  Radial, intermediate, ulnar – proximal row
 Ulna = lateral (medial to lateral)
o Only for muscle attachment  Numbered 1 to 4 – distal row (medial to lateral)
 An accessory carpal bone = projects caudally
ULNA from the lateral side of the carpus
 Animal Metacarpals
 Metacarpals (1~5)
 All metacarpals bear digits
Dog  Digit 1 = possess only 2 phalanges
(middle is missing)

 Metacarpals 3 & 4 = fused and weight

bearing called cannon bone
Ruminant  5th = vestigial
 1st and 2nd = missing

 3rd metacarpal = the only functional

Horse (cannon bone)
Carpal Dog Horse Cattle Pig
bone  2nd and 4th (splint bones) = vestigial
Radial P P P P
Intermediat A P P P  Metacarpal (2~5)
e Pig  All metacarpals bear digits
Ulnar P P P P  3rd and 4th = functional
Accessory P P P P
1 P A A P  Distal row of carpal bones = fused with
2 P P P P
the proximal end of metacarpals and
3 P P P P
Avian termed carpometacarpal bone which are
4 P P P P
TOTAL 7 7 6 8
3

NOTES:
 Radial carpal bone in dogs = regarded as fused
radial and intermediate carpal bones
 Intermediate bone is absent in dogs
 Trapezium or 1 is absent in horse and cattle
 Pigs have a complete carpal bone

The following are other names that can be used:

CATTLE
a. Radial – Scaphoid
b. Ulnar – Lunar bone
c. Trapezium – 1
d. Trapezoideum – 2
e. Capitatum – 3
f. Hamatum – 4

HORSE AND
GOAT
METACARPALS
 Distal to the carpus
 Mammalian manus = 5 digits, 3 phalanges
  Distal sesamoid bone is called navicular
bone

 4 digits, 2 weight bearing digits (3rd + 4th)

 2 non weight bearing digits (2nd + 5th)
Pig  1st digit = missing

 Digit one = 2 phalanges

 Digit two = 3 phalanges
Chicken  Digit three = 4 phalanges
 Digit four = 5 phalanges

NOTE: In mammals, each digit has 2 proximal and 1 distal

sesamoid bones.

DIGITS
 Are numbered from 1-5 from medial to lateral
 Each complete digit = made up of 3 phalanges:
o Proximal phalanx
o Middle phalanx
o Distal phalanx
 Ruminants
o Proximal phalanx is called long pastern
bone
o Medial phalanx corresponds to the short
pastern bone
o Distal phalanx is called the coffin bone
 Dewclaw or paradigit – digit not bearing weight

Animal Digits
 4 main weight bearing digits
 1st digit and 1st metacarpal bone =
Dog dewclaw
 Some breeds have double dewclaws

 4 digits, 2 weight-bearing digits (3rd + 4th)

Ruminant  2 non-weight bearing digits = 2nd + 5th
 1st digit = missing

 3rd digit only

o Long pastern, short pastern,
Horse coffin bone