ebral Column
|Number of Bones
|Sacral or sacrum
Skull and Hyoid
A dog’s skull and hyoid bones vary from 36 to 50 bones according to the breed of the dog. This bone helps the dog get the structure of its face. The bones are divided into 2 catalogs: cranium bones and facial bones.
Cranium bones of a dog’s skull contain
- Occipital, supraoccipital, and basioccipital bones,
- Parietal and interparietal bones,
- Frontal bone,
- The sphenoid bone. (presphenoid and basisphenoid),
- A temporal bone,
- The ethmoid bone.
The facial bones of a dog’s skull contain
- Incisive bones,
- The nasal bone,
- Maxilla bone,
- Zygomatic and palatine bones,
- Lacrimal, pterygoid, and vomer bones,
- Dorsal and ventral concha,
The thoracic limb of dogs contains 90 bones responsible for the dog’s movement. They have 2 thoracic limbs, each with 45 bones. They are:
- The scapula, clavicle, and coracoid are the bones of the shoulder girdles.
- The arm or brachium bone of a dog is the humerus of a dog.
- Forearm or antebrachium bones are radial and ulna bones.
- Carpal, metacarpal, and phalanges are bones of the manus
- The thoracic limb contains proximal sesamoid bones and distal sesamoid bones.
Similar to the thoracic limbs, pelvic limbs come in a pair of 48 bones each, serving a dog in its movement. These limbs consist of:
- Os coxae bones including the ilium, ischium, and pubis.
- The thigh bone is the femur of a dog.
- The leg bones are the tibial and fibula bones of a dog’s pelvic limb.
- Large sesamoid bone contents patella of the stifle joint.
- Tarsal, metatarsal, and phalanges come under the bones of the hind’s paw.
- The pelvic limb contains proximal and distal sesamoid bones.
This all bone with cartilage, tissues, and ligaments to make the complete skeletal system of a dog.
How Long Does It Take To Develop The Skeletal Structure of Dogs Fully?
Depending on the breed, most dogs take about 12 to 18 months to have fully developed skeletal structures.
The time for a dog to reach maturity depends on the size and breed of the dog. It takes 15 to 18 months for a large dog to grow into a mature dog completely, but in the case of small dogs, it takes a few months to grow.
For example, the diminutive Pomeraniansgrow up to 7 to 12 inches and weigh 3 to 7 pounds, reaching their full skeletal structure in 6 to 10 months.
In contrast, Rottweilers weigh around 90 to 120 pounds & 24 to 27 inches in height. They take around 18 to 20 months to grow to their adult state completely.
Golden Retriever family lying on the grass .
Decoding The Skeletal Structure Of Dogs
The deviation in the skeleton composition and size of the dog is more critical than any other animal. The dog’s skeleton arrangement has three parts: the visceral, the appendicular, and the axial.
The axial part is the major part that holds the crucial parts of the system, which are the sternum, spine, ribs, head, and neck.
The small bone structures are included in the visceral part: the inner ear and the appendicular skeleton, including the feet and leg skeleton.
The dogs have disconnected shoulder bones, and in place of the collarbone, they have cartilage that is called rudimentary collarbone. This feature of the absence of collarbone helps them in running motion; their flexibility is increased and gives them extraordinary stride lengths.
There is a division of Long, Short, Flat, Sesamoid, and Irregular bones in the skeleton structure.
The dogs’ weight, motion, and flexibility are supported by the limbs, which are included in the long bones. The short bones are the wrists and ankles that provide movement and stability to the dog.
Ribs, shoulders, pelvis, and sternum are the flat bones that help connect long bones and muscles. The flat bones are also present in the skull and give protection to the sinuses, eyes, brain, and ears.
The knees and wrists have freely moving bones that contain the Sesamoid bones. The skull, vertebral column, and hipbone have irregular bones in some parts.
What Are The Common Bone Disorders of Dogs?
Like any animal, dogs are predisposed to a few health problems, many of