Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 1 (of 5)Law, James
Science
Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 1 (of 5)
Law, James
Veterinary medicine
In the =Horse= the diaphragm is attached by its outer border to the last
rib, and to the lower ends of all the asternal ribs, and the extremity
of the breast bone. A thin layer of lung accordingly extends to between
the two last ribs superiorly and down to near the lower end of the
asternal ribs. The subjacent abdominal organs are arranged as
follows:—_On the left side_, and counting from below, the large
intestines (double colon), the stomach and spleen and a portion of the
left lobe of the liver:—_on the right side_, below, the large
intestines, above, the liver and pancreas. Of these the stomach and
intestines frequently contain gases, while the liver by its solidity
gives a special solid character to the right posterior part of the
chest. The spleen is too deeply situated to affect much the results of a
physical examination. The greatest substance of lung is between the
upper and middle thirds of the thorax. The anterior third is
inaccessible on account of the shoulders, but more than usual may be
reached by raising the fore limb and drawing it forcibly forwards. The
space between the third and seventh ribs is occupied by the solid mass
of the heart, which especially modifies the result of physical
examination on the left side where a notch in the lung allows it to
approach the surface.
In the =ox= the diaphragm is only attached to the last rib for two or
three inches at its upper extremity; it is fixed to the second last rib
as far down as about one-third of its length; thereafter it is attached
in succession to the middle third of the third last, to the lower third
of the fourth last, to the lower ends of the next two in succession and
to the sternum. The result is that the lungs do not extend so far back
relatively to the ribs as they do in the horse. They are virtually
absent from the last intercostal space, present only in the upper third
of the second last, in the upper two-thirds of the third last and reach
the lower third only in the space between the ninth and tenth ribs. The
paunch alone occupies the space beneath the asternal ribs on the left
side, and the liver and the solid mass of the omasum and abomasum that
beneath the right. The shoulders in fat improved beef breeds absolutely
prevent examination of the anterior third of the chest, though in thin
animals and dairy breeds and scrubs more of this may be exposed by
raising the fore limb than in the horse. The heart corresponding in
position to the third, fourth and fifth intercostal spaces is more
completely covered by lung tissue and does not strike the left side so
forcibly as in the horse.
In the =sheep= the lung extends to the last intercostal space, nearly as
far as its lower end and the heart is covered on the left side as well
as on the right by lung tissue. The shoulder is very movable and unless
in very fat animals allows of an examination of the greater part of the
anterior third of the chest.
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