_a_, Abdominal aorta; _b_, femoral; _c_, _c′_, deep femoral; _d_,
posterior abdominal; _e_, external pudic; _f_, internal circumflex;
_g_, anterior femoral (accompanied by anterior branch of femoral
nerve); _h_, external circumflex; _i_, _k_, muscular branches; _l_,
articular branch; _m_, saphenous; _n_, _o_, plantar and dorsal
branches of saphenous; _q_, saphenous nerve; _r_, obturator nerve;
_1_, ilio-psoas; _2_, ilium; _3_, gracilis; _4_, semitendinosus;
_5_, adductor magnus; _6_, adductor longus; _7_, quadriceps femoris;
_8_, sartorius; _9_, semimembranosus; _10_, gastrocnemius; _11_,
tibialis anterior; _12_, tibia. (Ellenberger-Baum, Anat. d. Hundes.)
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 493.—ARTERIES OF DISTAL PART OF RIGHT HIND LIMB OF DOG, ANTERIOR
VIEW.
_a_, External branch of anterior tibial artery; _b_, anterior tibial
artery; _c_, saphenous artery (anterior branch); _d_, perforating
metatarsal artery; _e_, dorsal metatarsal arteries; _f_, deep dorsal
metatarsal arteries; _g_, superficial dorsal metatarsal arteries;
_h_, anastomoses between dorsal and plantar arteries; _i_, common
digital arteries; _j_, proper digital arteries.
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 494.—ARTERIES OF DISTAL PART OF RIGHT HIND LIMB OF DOG, POSTERIOR
VIEW.
_k_, Saphenous artery (posterior branch); _l_, _l′_, internal and
external plantar arteries; _m_, perforating metatarsal artery; _n_,
deep plantar metatarsal arteries; _o_, superficial plantar
metatarsal arteries; _p_, common digital artery; _q_, proper digital
arteries.
]
The =femoral artery= has the usual course. The deep femoral gives off
the posterior abdominal and external pudic arteries by a very short
common trunk or separately. In the female the external pudic divides
into anterior and posterior branches; the former runs forward, supplies
branches to the inguinal lymph glands, the mammary glands and skin, and
anastomoses with the mammary branch of the internal thoracic artery; the
posterior branch pursues a flexuous course between the thighs to the
vulva, where its terminal branches anastomose with the internal pudic
artery. The anterior femoral may arise by a short common trunk with the
external circumflex. The former, accompanied by the anterior branch of
the femoral nerve, dips in between the rectus femoris and vastus
internus. The external circumflex artery passes forward between the
sartorius internally and the rectus femoris and tensor fasciæ latæ
externally and supplies branches to these muscles and the glutei. In
addition to muscular branches of considerable size, an articular branch
(A. genu suprema) arises a little below the middle of the thigh and runs
downward and forward to the inner face of the stifle joint. The
=saphenous artery= is large. It arises from the inner surface of the
femoral a little below the middle of the femur, descends superficially
to the upper part of the leg and divides into two branches. The smaller
=anterior branch= (Ramus dorsalis) passes obliquely downward and forward
across the inner surface of the tibia to the flexion surface of the hock
and terminates in three =superficial dorsal metatarsal arteries=. The
=posterior branch= (Ramus plantaris) passes down on the inner face of
the gastrocnemius and the long digital flexor. It gives off a branch (A.
tarsea lateralis) which descends obliquely to the external surface of
the tarsus, and at the posterior face of the tarsus detaches the
=internal= and =external plantar arteries=; these descend on either side
of the deep flexor tendon and unite with the perforating metatarsal
artery to form the proximal plantar arch. The artery continues down the
middle of the plantar surface of the metatarsus and divides near the
metacarpo-phalangeal joints into three =superficial plantar metatarsal
arteries=. These vessels unite with three =deep plantar metatarsal
arteries= which descend from the proximal plantar arch and with branches
from the dorsal metatarsal arteries. From these anastomoses four digital
arteries result; of these, the central two have a common digital trunk.
The =popliteal= and =posterior femoral arteries= present nothing of
special interest.
The =posterior tibial artery= is small, being replaced largely by the
saphenous. It supplies twigs to the flexor muscles at the upper part of
the leg.
The =anterior tibial artery= descends on the anterior face of the tibia
and tarsus and is continued as the perforating metatarsal artery, which
passes through the upper part of the space between the second and third
metatarsal bones and concurs with the plantar branches of the saphenous
in the formation of the plantar arch. Besides muscular and articular
branches, the anterior tibial supplies the external or fifth dorsal
metatarsal artery for the outer side of the fifth digit. At the proximal
part of the metatarsus it gives off three =deep dorsal metatarsal
arteries= which descend in the intervals between the metatarsal bones
and concur with the superficial dorsal and the plantar arteries in the
formation of the =digital arteries=. The latter resemble in general
arrangement the corresponding arteries of the thoracic limb.
The =internal iliac artery= (Fig. 491) runs backward and a little
outward across the ilio-psoas, and on reaching the ilium divides into
parietal and visceral branches. The =parietal branch= is the larger. It
runs backward on the lateral wall of the pelvis, passes out through the
lesser sciatic notch, and breaks up into branches which supply the
muscles in this region like the posterior gluteal (or ischiatic) artery
of the horse. It gives off the following branches: (1) The =ilio-lumbar
artery= passes outward between the ilio-psoas and the shaft of the ilium
and ramifies in the gluteus medius, giving branches to the ilio-psoas
and tensor fasciæ latæ; it may arise from the internal iliac. (2) The
=anterior gluteal artery= passes out behind the posterior superior spine
of the ilium and supplies branches to the glutei. (3) =Muscular
branches= go to the obturator internus, coccygeus, and retractor ani.
(4) The =lateral coccygeal artery= (A. caudalis lateralis superficialis)
passes back at first on the outer face of the coccygeus and continues
beneath the skin along the side of the tail. The =visceral branch= or
=internal pudic artery= passes back below the parietal branch on the
lateral face of the rectum, retractor ani, and coccygeus. Its chief
collateral branches are: (1) The =umbilical artery=, which pursues a
flexuous course and supplies twigs to the bladder, ureter, and vas
deferens. In the bitch it gives off a large =uterine artery= which
ramifies chiefly in the body and neck of the uterus and the vagina and
anastomoses with the utero-ovarian. (2) The =middle hæmorrhoidal artery=
arises near the ischial arch, passes upward and forward on the lateral
surface of the rectum, gains its dorsal surface and anastomoses with the
posterior mesenteric; it supplies the rectum and the anus, together with
its muscles and glands. (3) A small =perineal artery= is detached to the
perineum. In the male the trunk turns around the ischial arch as the
=artery of the penis= (A. penis). This vessel, after giving off the
=deep artery of the penis= (A. profunda penis), which supplies the
=artery of the bulb= (A. bulbi urethræ) and enters the corpus
cavernosum, is continued as the =dorsal artery of the penis= (A.
dorsalis penis) along the dorsum penis. In the female the terminal
branches of the trunk go to the vulva, vestibular bulb, and clitoris.