Veterinary Gross Anatomy

FIBULA
(Ox, Sheep and Goat, Horse, Pig, Dog, Rabbit, Fowl)

Ox

• The fibula is rudimentary.
• The head is fused to the tibia and is continued below by a small shaft.
• The distal extremity or lateral-malleolus is connected to the shaft in life by a fibrous cord. It is quadrilateral in outline and compressed from side.The proximal articular face is concave in front and convex behind. It articulates with the lateral facet of the distal extremity of tibia. The distal face has a concave facet for the fibular tarsal.The medial face presents a curved groove, which responds to the lateral ridge of the tibial tarsal. The lateral face is rough and irregular.

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Sheep and Goat

• The fibula has no shaft and its proximal end is represented by a small prominence below the lateral condyle of the tibia.
• The distal end forms the lateral malleolus as in the ox.

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Horse

• It is better developed and placed along the lateral border of the tibia.
• The shaft is a slender rod, extends down to about the middle of the tibia with which it forms the tibio-fibular arch.
• The proximal extremity is large and flattened from side to side.
• The medial face has a facet for the lateral condyle of the tibia.
• The lateral face is slightly convex and rough.
• The anterior and posterior edges are blunt and rounded, the posterior being the thicker.
• The distal extremity -the lateral malleolus is fused to the tibia.

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Pig

• It extends the entire length of the tibia.

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Dog

• It is nearly as long as tibia.
• It is slender, somewhat twisted and enlarged at either end.
• The proximal extremity presents a facet on the medial aspect for the tibia.
• The distal extremity articulates with the tibia and the tibial tarsal medially and bears two tubercles laterally, the proximal being anterior.

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Rabbit

• Tibio-fibula is formed by the fusion of tibia and fibula.
• Tibia is larger and the fibula is thin, rod like situated along the lateral side of the tibia.
• Fibula is not fused with the tibia in its proximal third. Hence, the tibia alone forms the proximal articular surface.
• Distally, both tibia and fibula share the articulation.
• Medial and lateral malleolus are in the form of small projections on the sides of the articular surface.

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Fowl

• It is thin rod shaped bone.
• It is thick above and tapers to a point below reaching the lower third of tibia.
• The head is massive and articulates with the lateral condyle of the tibia and a presents a facet on its medial aspect for the lateral condyle of the femur.

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