The Carpal Joints

These have the same general arrangement as in the horse. Numerous minor differences naturally exist, but must be excluded from this brief account, which contains only important special features.

The lateral movements are freer, especially in the dog, but flexion is not so complete: the anatomical explanation of these facts lies in the nature of the articular surfaces and certain ligamentous differences. The lateral ligaments are much weaker, the long external one being especially small in the ox. Two oblique, somewhat elastic, bands cross the front of the radio-carpal and intercarpal joints. The proximal one is attached to the distal end of the radius and passes downward and outward to the ulnar carpal bone; the other one connects the radial and fourth carpal bones in a similar fashion.

In the ox the short lateral ligaments are well defined, a ligament connects the accessory carpal with the distal end of the ulna, and strong bands connect the distal bones with the metacarpus.

The interosseous and interordinal ligaments vary with the number of carpal bones present in the different species.