Volume 29 | Issue 3 Article 5 1967 The Arterial Supply to Appendages of the Goat (Capra hircus) N. G. Ghoshal Iowa State University R. Getty Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian Part of the Veterinary Anatomy Commons Recommended Citation Ghoshal, N. G. and Getty, R. (1967) "The Arterial Supply to Appendages of the Goat (Capra hircus)," Iowa State University Veterinarian: Vol. 29 : Iss. 3 , Article 5. Available at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian/vol29/iss3/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Iowa State University Veterinarian by an authorized editor of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Arterial Supply to the Appendages of the Goat (Capra hircus) by *N. G. Ghoshal, G.V.Sc., D.T.V.M., Dr.med.vet., Ph.D. and R. Getty, D.V.M., M.S., Ph.D. The arterial blood supply of both the The arteries were injected with a mixture thoracic and the pelvic limbs of the goat of two parts 2% ammonia water and three are seldom described in the standard text­ parts red latex. A pressure of approxi­ books or in articles, especially in English mately 120 mm of mercury was used to literature (see bibliography). The assump­ inject the arteries. A few specimens were tion has been, perhaps, that there is no sig­ also injected by digital pressure by means nificant difference between the vascular of a metal syringe. patterns in the appendages of the goat and The specimens thus prepared were kept those of the ox and sheep. Due to the lack in a cooler for two to three days and were of pertinent information for comparative then dissected and composite findings anatomical studies, the inconsistency of were illustrated. descriptions, and the complexity of the areas, it has been deemed proper to refer RESULTS to relevant works in the section on results. Part I. Thoracic Limb MATERIAL AND METHODS The branches of the axillary artery sup­ plied the thoracic limb. Besides, the omo­ Ten thoracic and ten pelvic limbs of the cervical trunk vascularized part of the goat were dissected for this investigation. shoulder region. The animals were sacrificed in the Depart­ ment of Anatomy, College of Veterinary Truncus omocervicalis (s. A. cervicalis Medicine, Iowa State University of Science superficialis) and Technology, Ames, Iowa, between The omocervical trunk arose from the June, 1965, and August, 1967. Breed, age, dorsal aspect of the subclavian artery at sex, and body weight were not taken into the thoracic inlet (medial to the first rib) consideration in the study. and opposite to the origin of the internal The animals were anesthetized with thoracic artery. It passed dorsally along pentobarbitol sodium and exsanguinated the cranial border of the M. supraspinatus via a cannula from the right carotid ar­ to the deep face of the Mm. brachiocephal­ tery. The specimens were embalmed with icus, trapezius cervicis and omotransver­ the following embalming solution: iso­ sarius. It continued dorsolaterad to the propyl alcohol, 60%; formalin, 4%; phe­ superficial cervical lymph nodes and rami­ nol, 6%; com syrup, 2.5%; and water, fied on the deep face of the M. trapezius, 27.5%. terminating in at least three branches. The vessels were perfused with normal Origingating from the omocervical trunk saline solution to remove the blood clots, were: and the arteries for both the thoracic and 1. The Ramus muscularis-The muscu­ the pelvic limbs were injected to demon­ lar branch arose from the parent trunk strate their disposition in the appendages. close to the latter's origin from the sub­ clavian artery and ramified within the M. * Dr. Ghoshal is Assistant Professor in the Depart. ment of Veterinary Anatomy, Iowa State University. subclavius. Dr. Getty is Professor & Head of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Iowa State University. 2. The A. transversa scapulae-The Issue, No.3, 1967 123 transverse scapular artery was the second the metacarpus and metatarsus is out of branch from this arterial trunk. It coursed proportion to their physiological and clin­ towards the cranial face of the M. supra­ ical importance. The main arteries are spinatus, where it divided into two the deep dorsal metatarsal and the super­ branches: ficial palmar metacarpal." a. The medial branch extended caud­ omedially across the craniomedial face of A. axillaris the M. supraspinatus, sending strong mus­ The subclavian artery (A. subclavia), cular branches to this muscle and slender after the origin of the omocervical trunk twigs to the cranial border of the Mm. sub­ continued as the axillary artery and ex­ scapularis and pectoralis ascendens and tended beyond the first rib in the axillary the medial aspect" of the shoulder joint. space. It wound around the cranial border b. The relatively large lateral branch, of the first rib coursing caudoventrally to after coursing laterally, entered the crani­ the interval between the Mm. subscapu­ olateral face of the M. supraspinatus laris and teres major, somewhat dorsal to where it released a twig to the shoulder the dorsal border of the M. pectoralis as­ joint. Its main continuation dipped into cendens, where it divided into two large the muscular belly of the M. supraspina­ terminal branches, the Truncus subscapu­ tus, and coursed directly dorsal towards laris and the A. brachialis. The axillary the origin of this muscle, where it again artery gave off the following branches: appeared superficially, ramifying in the 1. The A. thoracica externa-The ex­ fascia, skin and the cranial aspect of the ternal thoracic artery originated opposite scapular cartilage. the omocervical trunk (Truncus omocer­ 3. The A." cervicalis ascendens-The vicalis) and coursed caudoventrally be­ ascending cervical artery was the continu­ neath the M. pectoralis cleidoscapularis, ation of the omocervical trunk. It coursed supplying muscular rami to the M. brachi­ dorsad, contributing branches to the Mm. ocephalicus and finally ending in the su­ omotransversarius and brachiocephalicus perficial faces of the Mm. pectoralis as­ and the superficial cervical lymph nodes, cendens, pectoralis cleidoscapularis and and finally ramifying in the M. trapezius. pectoralis descendens. According to Hafferl5 the vessels of the 2. A small muscular branch arose at forearm can be classified phylogenetically the bifurcation of the axillary artery into into a superficial and a deep group. The the subscapular trunk and brachial artery. superficial arteries of the forearm, so im­ It passed craniad, supplying the origin of portant in the lower mammals, are re­ the M. coracobrachialis and the medial as­ placed by deep arteries in the higher mam­ pect of the shoulder joint. This branch was mals.a In this region, our endeavor was also seen to arise from the caudal cir­ limited to the deep group only, i.e., to the cumflex humeral artery. terminal branches of the brachial artery. Similarly, in the region of the metacar­ Truncus subscapularis pus, both on the dorsal and palmar sur­ The subscapular trunk arose as one of faces, the arterial supply was represented the terminations of the axillary artery. It by superficial and deep arteries. The su­ was a large trunk, passing dorsocaudally perficial and deep arteries of the respective for about 1.5 cm between the Mm. sub­ sides of the metacarpus were connected by scapularis and the teres major, before it Rami communicantes and were joined to­ slipped laterad between these muscles and gether near the fetlock joint. The deep was continued as the subscapular artery. arteries of the dorsal and palmar sides Originating from the subscapular trunk were connected by Rami perforantes, orig­ were: inating from the vascular arches which 1. The A. circumflex a humeri caudalis may either be complete or incomplete.!! -The large caudal circumflex humeral We agree with Habel4 (P. 112) and artery arose from the subscapular trunk quote: ''The complexity of the descrip­ near its origin. It passed distolaterally be­ tions of the small arteries and arches of tween the apposing borders of the Mm. 124 Iowa State University Veterinarian subscapularis and teres major along the branch originated from the deep brachial flexor surface of the shoulder and coursed artery, similar to the observations of De­ laterally behind the head of the humerus. VOS.3 During its course over the cranial It terminated into several branches be­ portion of the M. anconeus it detached to tween the heads of the M. triceps brachii the humerus the nutrient artery which and the M. brachialis. curved caudomedially between the appos­ a. The articular branch-This ing borders of the preceding muscle and branch, variable in origin, supplied the M. the M. triceps brachii. According to coracobrachialis and the medial aspect of Nickel,9 it gave off a Ramus communicans the shoulder joint. which extended to the flexor surface of the b. The Ramus proximalis-The prox­ elbow joint and joined the A. collateralis imal branch was the smaller terminal radialis distalis. branch of the caudal circumflex humeral 2. The A. subscapularis-The subscap­ artery coursing laterally between the long ular artery directly continued the Truncus head (Caput longum) and the lateral head subscapularis passing dorsocaudally be­ (Caput laterale) of the M. triceps brachii, tween the Mm. subscapularis and teres immediately beneath the apposing borders major, along the caudal border of the of the Pars scapularis and Pars acromialis scapula to the caudal angle of the scapular of the M. deltoideus. Here it turned di­ cartilage. Nickel9 stated that the sub­ rectly craniad beneath the Pars scapularis scapular artery, at the level of the distal of the M. deltoideus and approached the third of the scapula, gave off 3 vessels: caudolateral face of the M.