Further Learning...
Basic anatomy on the fetal pig
Basic pig anatomy- skeleton
Pig Terminology- Further Your Pet Education
Swine/Porcine: Another name for a pig. The domestic hog, Sus scruff.
Abscess: A localized accumulation of pus, usually formed from an infection.
Acute: Characterized by severe, rapid onset, with a short duration.
Afterbirth: Placental membranes that surrounded the fetus during gestation, usually expelled from the uterus directly after parturition.
Anemia: A condition that results from a reduction in red blood cells. This is often seen in piglets either an iron supplement can be given or rooting in the dirt will naturally resolve this issue. There are many different types of anemia that can appear for various medical reasons, not just one.
Antibody: A protein substance formed in the lymphoid tissue that interacts with specific antigens to protect the body.
Anorexia: A lack of appetite for food.
Antibiotic: A substance that kills bacteria or prevents their growth.
Antigen: A substance that triggers formation of specific antibodies, which react against antigen.
Arrhythmia: An irregular rhythm of the heartbeat.
Barrow: A castrated male hog/pig.
Boar: A male hog/pig.
Chronic: Of long duration.
Colostrum: The thick first milk produced by a pregnant dam. It is rich in antibodies, thus covering passive immunity to neonates/piglets.
Creep/Creep Feed: An area that limits access to certain animals. Usually used in breeding operations where the mother is so large that there is a fear she will squish and kill her piglets when laying down.
Cross Breeding: A breeding system that mates animals of the same species but different breeds.
Cyanosis: A bluish color of the skin and mucous membranes caused by reduced amounts of oxygen in the blood.
Dunging Pattern: The tendency for animals to deposit waste in the same particular location.
Etiology: The study of causes of disease; also used as a synonym for cause.
Extensive Management: A management system that houses animals outdoors in a free-range style.
Farrowing: The birthing process of pigs.
Farrowing Crate/Pen: A small crate or area that limits the mobility of a sow during delivery of her young. They are usually designed to help protect the babies.
Gestation: The length of a pregnancy. In swine it is 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days.
Gilt: An immature, never bred, female hog/pig.
Hog-Tight: Sturdy fencing that prevents animals from escaping.
Malignant: Harmful, life threatening.
Necrosis: Death of a portion of the body.
Necrotic: Referring to dead tissue.
Needle Teeth: Eight temporary incisors and canine teeth of piglets. can also be called wolf teeth.
Parturition: The act of giving birth.
Pathogen: A disease producing microorganism.
Prenatal: Before birth.
Prognosis: A prediction of the course of disease.
Serum: Blood plasma without the clotting agents.
Sow: A female hog/pig.
Symptom: Subjective evidence of a disease (sign and symptom are used synonymously in Vet medicine).
Tusk: The over grown canine tooth of boars.
Wallow: A natural or artificially constructed wadding pool to cool the hog/pig.
Zoonotic/Zoonosis: A disease that can be passed from animals to people.
Although this is an image of a dog, the directional terms remain the same.
Planes
Planes are an imaginary or real surface on which any two points can be connected by a straight line.
Median: The plane dividing the body in to equal right and left portions.
Sagittal: A plane dividing the body in to unequal right and left portions. It is parallel to the median plane.
Transverse: A plane perpendicular to the median plane, dividing the body in to cranial and caudal parts. A transverse plane also crosses an organ or limb at a right angle to it’s long axis.
Frontal (dorsal): A plane perpendicular to both the median and transverse planes, diving the body in to dorsal and ventral portions.
Sections: Cuts through various planes of the body to display internal structures.
Cross Section: A cut through the transverse plane of a structure.
Planes are an imaginary or real surface on which any two points can be connected by a straight line.
Median: The plane dividing the body in to equal right and left portions.
Sagittal: A plane dividing the body in to unequal right and left portions. It is parallel to the median plane.
Transverse: A plane perpendicular to the median plane, dividing the body in to cranial and caudal parts. A transverse plane also crosses an organ or limb at a right angle to it’s long axis.
Frontal (dorsal): A plane perpendicular to both the median and transverse planes, diving the body in to dorsal and ventral portions.
Sections: Cuts through various planes of the body to display internal structures.
Cross Section: A cut through the transverse plane of a structure.
Anatomical Descriptive Terms
Precise descriptive anatomical terms are used to describe the position/location of something/structure on an animal.
Dorsal: Away from the ground. Near the back. (Example: the vertebrae are dorsal to the heart)
Ventral: Toward the ground (Example: the tongue is ventral to the nasal cavity).
Cranial: Towards the head (Example: the head is cranial to the tail).
Caudal: Towards the tail (Example: the hindlimb is caudal to the forelimb).
Rostral: A part on the head closer to the nose. When not describing position on the head, cranial is used for the rest of the body (Example: the nose is rostral to the ears).
Palmer: The surface below the proximal ends of the carpus directed caudally or towards the ground. Thus replacing caudal for this part of the limb (Example: the dewclaw of the ox is on the palmer surface of the forelimb).
Planter: The surface below the proximal end of the tarsus directed caudally or towards the ground.
Medial: Towards the median plane (Example: the cheats is medial to the thoracic limbs).
Lateral: Farther from the median plane (Example: the shoulder is lateral to the ribs).
Proximal: Nearest the trunk or point of origin of a limb, vessel, nerve or organ (Example: the elbow is proximal to the digit).
Distal: Farther from the trunk or point of origin from a limb, vessel, nerve or organ (Example: the carpus is distal to the elbow).
Superficial: Near the surface
Deep: Farther from the surface.
Peripheral: Distant from its point of origin; near the surface of the body (Example: nerves are peripheral to the nervous system).
Axial and Abaxial: Indicate the relative position to the longitudinal access of the limb. These terms are restricted to the digits where the axis is considered to pass between the third and fourth digits.
Axial: Closer to the longitudinal axis (the inside of the digit is the axial side).
Abaxial: Further from the longitudinal axis of a limb (the outside of a digit is the abaxial side).
External: Closer to the otter surface of the structure (the capsule is external to the kidney).
Internal: Closer to the center of a structure (the medulla is closer to the center of the cortex).
Supra: A prefix signifying above or over.
Infra: a prefix signifying below or beneath.
References: Pasquini, Spurgeon. Anatomy of Domestic Animals, A systemic and Regional Approach (11th Edition). Sudz Publishing 2007
McBride, Douglas. Veterinary Terminology (2nd Edition). Mosby Publishing 2002
Compiled by Jodi Register (2015)
Precise descriptive anatomical terms are used to describe the position/location of something/structure on an animal.
Dorsal: Away from the ground. Near the back. (Example: the vertebrae are dorsal to the heart)
Ventral: Toward the ground (Example: the tongue is ventral to the nasal cavity).
Cranial: Towards the head (Example: the head is cranial to the tail).
Caudal: Towards the tail (Example: the hindlimb is caudal to the forelimb).
Rostral: A part on the head closer to the nose. When not describing position on the head, cranial is used for the rest of the body (Example: the nose is rostral to the ears).
Palmer: The surface below the proximal ends of the carpus directed caudally or towards the ground. Thus replacing caudal for this part of the limb (Example: the dewclaw of the ox is on the palmer surface of the forelimb).
Planter: The surface below the proximal end of the tarsus directed caudally or towards the ground.
Medial: Towards the median plane (Example: the cheats is medial to the thoracic limbs).
Lateral: Farther from the median plane (Example: the shoulder is lateral to the ribs).
Proximal: Nearest the trunk or point of origin of a limb, vessel, nerve or organ (Example: the elbow is proximal to the digit).
Distal: Farther from the trunk or point of origin from a limb, vessel, nerve or organ (Example: the carpus is distal to the elbow).
Superficial: Near the surface
Deep: Farther from the surface.
Peripheral: Distant from its point of origin; near the surface of the body (Example: nerves are peripheral to the nervous system).
Axial and Abaxial: Indicate the relative position to the longitudinal access of the limb. These terms are restricted to the digits where the axis is considered to pass between the third and fourth digits.
Axial: Closer to the longitudinal axis (the inside of the digit is the axial side).
Abaxial: Further from the longitudinal axis of a limb (the outside of a digit is the abaxial side).
External: Closer to the otter surface of the structure (the capsule is external to the kidney).
Internal: Closer to the center of a structure (the medulla is closer to the center of the cortex).
Supra: A prefix signifying above or over.
Infra: a prefix signifying below or beneath.
References: Pasquini, Spurgeon. Anatomy of Domestic Animals, A systemic and Regional Approach (11th Edition). Sudz Publishing 2007
McBride, Douglas. Veterinary Terminology (2nd Edition). Mosby Publishing 2002
Compiled by Jodi Register (2015)