Veterinary Gross Anatomy

DIGITS

Ox

• It has two digits -the third and fourth are fully developed and have three phalanges and three sesamoids each.
• The second and the fifth are vestiges and are known as accessory digits or dew claws.
• These are placed behind the fetlock. Each accessory digit contains one or two small phalanges, which do not articulate with the rest of the skeleton

Sheep and Goat

• Resembles that of ox.
• The accessory digits have no phalanges.

Horse

• There is only one digit - the third and it consists of three phalanges and three sesamoids.

Pig

• Two chief digits (the third and fourth) consist of three phalanges each.
• There are two accessory digits and the numbers of phalanges in each are similar to that of the chief digits.

Dog

• There are five digits.
• The third and the fourth digits are the longest.
• The firstdigit has two phalanges and does not come in contact with the ground.
• The rest have three phalanges each.

Rabbit

• There are five digits.
• The first is the shortest and the third is the longest.
• The first digit has two phalanges and the rest have three each.

Fowl

• There are three digits.
• The first and the second digits have two phalanges each.
• The third digit has one phalanx.
• Sesamoids are absent.