BONES OF THE PELVIC LIMB(continued)

Note: All the notes provided us from gcvs 

recomended book Guide To The Dissection Of Dog By Howard E. Evans, PhD 

Lecture no 7

BONES OF THE PELVIC LIMB(continued)

Veterinary Anatomy  GCVS 1st semester

Tarsal Bones

The tarsus between the metatar-sals and the leg, is composed of seven tarsal bones

and the related soft tissues. It is also called the hock.

The bones are arranged in three irregular rows.

The proximal row is composed of a long, laterally

located calcaneusand a shorter, medially located

talus.The talus has a trochleaon its proximal end

with two ridges separated by a groove for articula-tion with the tibial cochlea. This is the tarsocrural

joint where flexion and extension occur between

the leg and hindpaw. The talus articulates with the

calcaneus laterally and the central tarsal bone dis-tally. The calcaneus articulates with the talus and

the fourth tarsal bone.

The tuber calcaneiis a traction process of the

calcaneus that projects proximally and caudally.

The extensor muscles of the hock insert on this

process via the common calcanean tendon. On

the medial side of the calcaneus is a bony process,

the sustentaculum tali.The tendon of the lateral

digital flexor glides over the plantar surface of this

process.

The distal row consists of four bones. Three

small bones, the first, second,and third tarsal

bones, are located side by side and are separated

from the proximal row by the central tarsal bone.

The large fourth tarsal bone,which completes

the distal row laterally, articulates with the cal-caneus proximally. The fourth tarsal is as long as

the combined lengths of the third and central tar-sal bones against which it lies. The fourth tarsal

bone is grooved on the distal half of its lateral sur-face for the passage of the tendon of the fibularis fibularis

longus.

Metatarsal Bones

The metatarsal bones resemble the

metacarpal bones except for the first, which may

be divided, rudimentary, or absent.

Phalanges

The phalanges and sesamoids form the

skeleton of the digit. Those of the hindpaw, or pes,

are similar to those of the forepaw, or manus.

The first digit, or hallux,is frequently absent.

When present, it is called a dewclawand may vary

from a fully developed digit, articulating with a

normal first metatarsal bone, to a vestigial struc-ture composed only of a terminal phalanx

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