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The interactive dog atlas · Exterior and regions · Forelimb

Upper arm brachium

The upper arm is the segment of the front leg between the shoulder and the elbow, on the side of the chest. Its bone is the humerus, covered by the muscles that flex and extend the elbow.

Open in the interactive atlas Guide: Exterior Worksheet

Educational material, not a diagnostic tool. Written by the Mantrailing România team from veterinary sources we read. Updated 14.11.2026.

Dog in left lateral view — exterior, muscles, skeleton and organs Vector study after the Ellenberger, Baum and Dittrich plates: a standing dog, head to the left, deep chest and digitigrade limbs. The four layers use the same contour: exterior with body regions, superficial muscles, skeleton and organs.
  1. Upper arm
  2. Shoulder
  3. Elbow
  4. Forechest
Upper arm on the atlas drawing, "Exterior and regions" layer, with the neighbouring structures. Left lateral view, after the Ellenberger, Baum and Dittrich plates.

Where it is

Between the shoulder and the elbow, on the side of the chest.

System
Body regions
Region
Forelimb

What it is and what it does

The upper arm is the segment between the shoulder joint and the elbow. Its bone is the humerus, covered by the muscles that extend and flex the elbow. In the standing dog, the upper arm slopes backward, and the elbow comes roughly level with the bottom line of the chest.

Worth remembering

In the standing dog, the upper arm slopes backward, and the elbow comes about level with the bottom line of the chest.

Names

  • Also called: brachial region.
  • Latin term: brachium.
  • In Romanian: Brațul (Romanian page).

From the same region: Forelimb

All structures, in the atlas · Flashcards: exterior and regions