Understanding Your Dog's Legs

By Author: Bionic Pets
Total Articles: 2
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It's easy to feel like your dog is just like you. After all, he's your best friend! He's just like you, but with four legs instead of two, right? Well, not quite. The truth is that your dog's anatomy is much more similar to a horse than to your own. As a dog owner, it is important that you understand your dog's body so you can recognize an injury or chronic condition that requires intervention. With this in mind, let's focus on your dog's legs. You would be forgiven for thinking his front and back legs are essentially the same, when in fact they're about as similar as your arms and legs. These are by far the most likely body part to be injured and need attention.

#1 The upper arm on the foreleg is right below the shoulder and consists of the humerus bone, which is similar to the one found in your own upper arm. It ends at the elbow.

#2 The elbow is the first joint in the dog’s leg located just below the chest on the back of the foreleg. A dog front leg brace can support this body part after an injury.

#3 The long bone that runs after the elbow on the foreleg is the forearm. This is comprised of the ulna ...
... and radius.

#4 Next is the wrist, which is the lower joint below the elbow on the foreleg.

#5 Your dog has "pasterns." Sometimes called the carpals, these are equivalent to the bones in your hands and feet. Dogs have them in both forelegs and hind legs.

#6 Dogs have a paw at the end of each leg, called the forefoot or hind foot depending on whether it’s front or back. Each paw has toes, nails or claws, plus paw pads, and usually dewclaws.

#7 Dewclaws are essentially useless thumbs.

#8 The toenails or claws on the end of each toe are built right in with part of the last bone of the toes.

#9 On the underside of the foot are several pads, including one main pad, known as the communal pad, and a pad under each toe, for a total of five pads. You will also notice stopper pads behind the wrist on your dog’s forelegs as well.

#10 This part you know! The upper thigh is the part of the dog’s leg situated above the knee on the hind leg.

#11 Your dog's back is known as the stifle. It is the joint that sits on the front of the hind leg in line with the abdomen.

#12 The lower thigh is the part of the hind leg beneath the knee to the hock.

#13 The hock is the oddly shaped joint that makes a sharp angle at the back of the dog’s legs. It is similar to your ankle, so think of your dog's hock like their back ankle. A dog hock brace would be like a brace for after you tripped and twisted your ankle.

Knowing your dog's anatomy makes it much easier to determine whether he needs help, like a dog hock brace. He will thank you for it!