Anatomy and
Physiology- Unit D
External Features
and Bones
Competency: 9.00
Summarize the major parts of
small animals
Objective 9.01

Describe the major external parts of small
animals
Basic Anatomy Terminology
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Cheek- fleshy side of the face
Dewlap- loose skin under the chin
Elbow- upper joint of the front leg
Flank- fleshy part of the side
Foot pad- part that the animal walks on
Forearm- front limb just below the elbow
Guard hair- longer course hair above the
shorter under fur (protection)
Basic Anatomy Terminology
8.
9.
10.
11.
Hock- tarsal joint halfway up the hind limb
Lion- fleshy part of the side under the spinal
column
Muzzle- projecting jaw (nose and mouth)
Nose pad



Tip of the nose
Used for investigating food and unfamiliar objects
Called the nose leather in cats
Basic Anatomy Terminology
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Rump- upper rounded part of the
hindquarter
Shoulder- above the elbow of the fore leg
Stifle- joint above the hock
Thigh- area between the rump and hock
Whiskers- long hairs growing near the
mouth
Basic Anatomy Terminology- Birds
1.
Crown

2.
Ear covert

3.
upper or lower segment of the bill
Nape

5.
feathers covering the ears
Mandible

4.
top of the head
back of the neck
Orbital ring

ring around the eye
Basic Anatomy Terminology- Fish,
Amphibians, and Reptiles
1.
Brille

transparent layer covering eyes
 Eyelid for snakes
2.
Fins

Web of skin supported with bone or cartilage
rods
 Enables fish to move through water
Basic Anatomy Terminology- Fish,
Amphibians, and Reptiles
3.
Gills


4.
Scales


5.
Major organ of the respiratory system
Breath without lungs
Modified portion of the epidermal layer
Provides protection
Scutes

Epidermal scales found on turtles
Objective 9.02

Define major skeletal parts of small
animals
Skeletal System
 Axial
skeleton
vertebral
Ribs
Sternum
skull
column
Dog Skeleton
http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/aencmed/targets/illus/ilt/000f09ca.gif
Dog Skeleton
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/tcolvill/135/images/S23.GIF
Skeletal System
 Pectoral
front
limb
limbs
 shoulders,
legs and feet
 scapula (shoulder blade)
 humerus (arm)
 radius and ulna (forearm)
 carpals, metacarpals and phalanges (toes)
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~mammals/CatSkeleton.jpg
http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/courses.hp/zoo.225/Catskeleton.jpeg
Skeletal System
 Pelvic
rear
limb
legs and pelvic bones
 hooks
 pin
bones
 femur (upper leg bone)
 tibia and fibula (lower leg bones)
 Tarsals (hocks)
 Metatarsals (feet)
 Phalanges (toes)
Rabbit Skeleton
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/foods/458-878/rabbit.gif
Rabbit Skeleton
http://www.avte.net/AVTE2003/contents/anatomy/lab%20animal/rabbit_skeleton.jpg
Skeletal System-Birds
 Have
some unique bones unlike
mammals
Most
have a skull bone that elongates
toward the front of the head
Some have a skull with an upper beak
fused to it while other birds have hinges
on both upper and lower mandibles
giving it more flexibility
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/printouts/Skeleton.shtml
Objective 9.03

Discuss the role of internal organs in small
animals
Major organs and systems
 Heart
major
organ in the circulatory
system
3 muscle layers
Circulatory System

Myocardium
 second
layer muscle that makes up the
thickness of the heart

Endocardium
 thin

Epicardium
 thin

layer inside myocardium
cover over the myocardium
Other parts of the circulatory system are the
arteries, capillaries, veins and blood
Layers of the Heart
Heart
Circulatory System

Other parts of the circulatory system are
 Arteries
 Capillaries
 Veins
 Blood
Circulatory System- Functions
 Transports
nutrients
metabolic
waste
oxygen
 Protects
injury
against microbes and
Kidneys and Bladder
 Part

of the excretory system
rids the body of waste
 maintain chemical composition
 volume of blood
 regulates tissue fluid
Stomach and Intestines
 Major
part of digestive system
breaks
food down into smaller
pieces to be used by the body
 Nutrients
are gleaned from these
food materials
Lungs
 Part
of the respiratory system
oxygen
is taken in by the nose,
passed on to the lungs and then
goes into the blood
Nervous System

Brains, spinal cord, and nerves
Coordinator
of all body activities
Regulates other systems
Controls memory and learning
Reproductive system
 Ovaries
and testes
Egg
Sperm
 Help
produce new individuals of
the same species
Muscular System
 Muscles
Movement
Posture
Support
Produces
heat
Small Animal
Nutrition
Competency: 10.00
Examine the role of nutrition in
the support of animals life
Objective 10.01

Discuss the six basic nutritional
requirements of small animals in relation
to the function they serve for the small
animal
Nutrition
 Nutrient-
single group of foods of
the same general chemical
composition that supports animal
life
 There are six basic nutrient
Water
 More
important nutrient than any
other nutrient
 makes up 55-65% of an animal’s
body
Water
 Aides
in digestion
 Transports nutrients
 Regulates body temperature
 Carries waste from the body
 Supports respiration
Proteins
 Complex
nutrients composed of
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and
nitrogen
 Develop and repairing body
organs and tissues
muscles,
nerves, skin, hair, hooves,
and feathers
Proteins
 Production
of milk, wool, and eggs
 Reproduction process of the
developing fetus
 Developing the young
 Transmitting DNA
Carbohydrates
Converting of food into energy
 Made up of chemical elements

 Carbon
 Hydrogen
 Oxygen

Supports breathing and digesting
Carbohydrates
Production of heat for body warmth
 Stores fat
 Types of carbohydrates

 Sugars
 Starch
 fiber
Fats
 Chemical
elements of
Carbon
Hydrogen
Oxygen
 Same
elements as carbohydrates
but different combinations
Fats
 Fats
contain 2.25 times more energy
 Aid in absorbing fat-soluble vitamins
 A,
D, E and K
 Provides
the essential fatty acids
needed in an animal’s diet
Vitamins
 Organic
substances needed for
specific biochemical reactions
 A,B,
C, D, E and K
 Needed
in small amounts
Vitamins
 Regulation
of body glands
Digestive
system
Absorption
Metabolism

The chemical processes occurring within a living cell or
organism that are necessary for the maintenance of life. In
metabolism some substances are broken down to yield
energy for vital processes while other substances, necessary
for life, are synthesized.
Minerals
 Supply
the material for building
the skeleton and producing
regulators such as enzymes and
hormones
 Divided into 2 groups
Macro
Micro
Macro vs. Micro
 Macro
Seven
major minerals needed in
largest quantity and most likely
lacking in the ration
 Micro
Nine
trace minerals needed in
small amounts
Macro-minerals
 Phosphorus
 Calcium
 Potassium
 Sodium
and chlorine
 Sulfur
 Magnesium
Micro-minerals
 Iron
 Zinc
 Iodine
 Molybdenum
 Copper
 Selenium
 Cobalt
 Fluorine
 Manganese
Objective 10.02

Determine symptoms related to nutrient
deficiencies in small animals
Nutrient Deficiencies

Nutrition
 Process
by which an animal receives and
balanced food and water ration
Grow
 Maintain its body
 Reproduce
 Perform


Nutrient
 substance
that is necessary for an organism to
live and grow
Nutrient Deficiencies

Slow growth


(common of all nutrients)
Water deficiency
 Overheating
 slowdown in

normal body functions occurs
Carbohydrates
 lack of energy
 Lack of normal body
 loss of body heat
functions
Nutrient Deficiencies

Proteins
 Normal
growth development and repairing of body
organs ex: muscles, nerves, skin, hair, hooves, and
feathers suffers
 Protein deficiency may result







Anorexia
Anemia
Edema
Slow growth rate
Low birth weight of young
Lower milk production
Decreased feed efficiency
Nutrient Deficiencies
 Fats
Provides
energy
aids in absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
 Vitamins
various
body functions will suffer when
vitamins are lacking
Depends on the vitamins in question
Nutrient Deficiencies
 Mineral
low
deficiency
rate of gains
poor feed efficiency
decreased reproduction
decrease in milk, meat, eggs, and
wool production
Nutrition and
Digestion of Small
Animals
Competency: 11.00
Analyze the digestive process and
feeding requirements for small
animals
Objective 11.01

Discuss the digestive process in a
ruminant’s digestive system.
Ruminants
 Considered
as “forage consuming”
Ruminants
have one stomach with
multiple compartments
 Food
is acted on by millions of
bacteria and microorganisms
Transform
low-quality protein and
nitrogen compounds
 essential
amino acids
http://www.ca.uky.edu/agripedia/Classes/ASC106/media/RUMEN.GIF
Four compartments
 Rumen
largest
compartment
contains bacteria & microorganisms
 aids
in the digestive process
Rumen Papillae
http://education.vetmed.vt.edu/Curric
ulum/VM8054/Labs/Lab21/IMAGES/ru
men%20copy.jpg
Reticulum
 Second
compartment
aides
in the formation of cud for
regurgitation
 Also
known as the hardware
stomach because it collects nails
or pieces of wire
Reticulum
http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/ilm/outreach/necropsy/images/reticulum1.jpg
Reticulum
http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/herbivores/retic.jpg
Omasum
 Third
compartment
removes
water from food
Looks like the folds of a book
Omasum
http://courses.washington.edu/vertebra/453/photos/gut_photos/m
ammal_digestive_photos.htm
Abomasum
Fourth compartment
 Referred to as the “true stomach”

 Breaks
down food material
 muscular movement
 secretes digestive juices

The material then passes into the small
intestine
http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/ahd/jpg/A4abomas.jpg
Objective 11.02

Explain the digestive process in a nonruminant’s digestive system
Non-Ruminants
 Single-stomached
 Mono-gastric
includes
 Cats
 Dogs
 Rabbits
 Birds
all of the small animals
Rabbits
 Non-ruminant
Consumes
herbivores
large amounts of
roughage
Large cecum and colon between
the small and large intestines
 contains
bacteria
Rabbit Digestive System
http://courses.washington.edu/vertebra/453/photos/gut_photos/mammal_digestive_photos.htm
Rabbits
 Rabbits
eat undigested feces
Coprophagy
Usually
occurs late night or early
morning
Makes use of undigested material
so they can make full use of bacteria
in cecum
Birds
 Lack
teeth
Saliva
 Very
is added to aid in swallowing
little breakdown in the mouth
 Gizzard
Largest
digestive organ
Grinds and crushes
Digestive System- Bird
http://www.biologycorner.com/resources/bird_anatomy.jpg
Digestive Process of Non-Ruminants
Food is broken down in mouth (except
birds)
 Passes to the stomach
 Small Intestine

 Primary

site of absorption
Large Intestine
 Absorption
of Water
 Addition of mucus
Fish Digestive System
 Systems
Type
 Some
vary
of feed determines teeth
fish swallow their prey whole
while others chew it up
Fish digestive system
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/Grzimek_fish/structure_function/digestive_system.jpg/medium.jpg
Objective 11.03

Distinguish between feeding programs of
the small animal
Nutrient Use
 Maintenance
keeping
constant
no gain or loss of weight
usually high in carbohydrates and
fats
 Growth
increase
in body size
rations high in energy and protein
Nutrient Use
 Reproduction
failures
are a major result from
poor nutrition
Contains a large amount of protein,
minerals, and vitamins
Improper nutrition can affect
conception rates and breeding
ability
Reproduction
 Babies
that are underweight at
birth, or which become an aborted
fetus are often the result of
improper nutrition to female
during gestation
Nutrient Use
 Lactation
time
during which females are
producing milk
Requires the proper nutrients to
have large milk production
Lactation
 Diet
high in protein, calcium, and
phosphorus.
 The same nutrients contained in
the milk are the same needed by
a lactating female
Nutrient Use
 Work
and activity
Increased
amounts of fats and
carbohydrates are needed in a working
diet to supply the extra energy needed
Hunting dogs need special diets
because they require energy to chase
after game
Feeding Terminology

Diet
 Feed

and water that an animal uses
Amount and type of feedstuff is based
upon:
 Animal
Needs
 Kind of and amounts of nutrients contained in
feed

Palatability- digestible and appeals to the
animal
 A good
nutritious feed is only good if it is eaten
Feeding Terminology
 Feed
classifications
Roughages
 made
stems
(or forages)
up of leaves and the plants tender
Feeding Terminology
 Concentrates
recommended
for small animals as a
regular part of their diet
High energy
 Corn,
High

wheat, sorghum, barley, rye, oats
protein
Soybean meal, cottonseed oil meal, sunflower
meal
Feeding Terminology
 Supplements
contains
a specific nutrient
 Ration
feed
that contains the right amount
and proportion of nutrients
Specific Diets
 Dogs
and Cats
 Commercial feed is the best
Puppies
need diet higher in protein than
adults and food intake is regulated by
activity
Cats need 2X the protein of dogs
 10%
of their diet should be fat
Rabbits
 Pellet
type of commercial feed is
best
 Avoid feeding leafy green
vegetables
Pocket Pets
 Best
to use pellet type
commercial feed
 If mixing ration; should have a
wide range of food
Pocket Pets
 Gerbils
Little
green food in diet
 Rats
can
have dog food substituted
 Ferrets

can eat cat food
Pocket Pets
 Mice

will not overeat
 Guinea
need
pigs
solid food to dull their teeth and a
certain amount of Vitamin C
Amphibians & Reptiles
 Prefer
to eat animals if large enough
Tadpoles
 eat
pellets of rabbit, dog, or cat food
Turtles
 Pieces
of liver
 Strawberries and other fruits
Amphibians & Reptiles
 Snakes
(in captivity)
Full
grown can learn to eat canned dog
Variety of insects
Baby rodents
Frogs and toads
 Lizards
Most
eat insects
Birds
 Diet
mostly consists of seeds
 Including cereal seeds and oil seeds
 Fruit and nectar birds
eat
oranges
Grapes
apple slices
Fish

Diet is affected by water temperature
 Higher


temperature
Increased food intake
Variety of food should be given to
decrease boredom
Fish
Amount fish is fed should be amount it can
eat in a few minutes to avoid contaminating
water
 Smaller fish

 Flaked

food
Larger Fish
 Shrimp
 Krill
 Plankton
Small Animal
Reproduction
Competency: 12.00
Analyze Reproduction in
Small Animals
Objective 12.01

Discuss reproduction of small animals
Sexual Reproduction

Two parents are required
 Natural

Male


Insemination
Spermatozoa or male sex cell
Female

Egg or ovum (female sex cell)
Trout Spermatozoa
http://www.rennes.inra.fr/scribe/images/spermato.jpg
Sexual Terminology

Conception
 Creation


of new life by fertilization
Union of egg and sperm
Estrus
 Heat
period
 Female is receptive to breeding
 Stand for mating
Estrus- Stand for mating
http://www.clas.ufl.edu/jur/199912/images/balaguer_4.jpg
Sexual Terminology

Gestation
 Period
of pregnancy
 Begins at conception ends at parturition

Ovulation
 Release

of egg
Parturition
 Process
of giving birth
Female Reproductive Anatomy

Ovary
 Primary
reproductive organ
 Produces the female gamete (egg)

Embryo
 Developing
young
 Mammals

Enters uterus after 3-5 days
Female Reproductive Anatomy

Uterus
 Place

of embryo growth and development
Cervix
 Part
of uterus that contains rings
 Cervical mucus

Seals uterus during pregnancy
Female Reproductive Anatomy

Vagina
 Reproductive
 Urine

passageway
excretio
Vulva
 External
opening of reproductive tract
Male Reproductive Anatomy

Testicle
 Primary
organ
 Produces male gametes
 Externally held in scrotum


Controls temperature
Sheath
 Fold
of skin
 Protective covering
Objective 12.02

Use principals of reproductive physiology
to determine gestation characteristics in
small animals
Gestation

Time from conception to parturition (birth)
 Varies

for each species
General Characteristics
 Increase
size of breast and abdomen and
appetite
 Restlessness

End of gestation
End of Gestation

Pocket pets and rabbits
 Nesting




box should be provided
Wood shavings
Straw
Paper
Dogs and cats
 Birthing


box
One to three weeks prior
Helps them to get comfortable with the setting
Gestation Period
Species
Cats
Dogs
Rabbits
Hamsters
Gerbils
Rats
Mice
Guinea Pig
Ferrets
Period (days)
51-65 (7-9 weeks)
56-70 (9-10 weeks)
28-32 (4-4.5 weeks)
30-32
16
21-24
21-24
56-74
42