Where it is
In the middle mediastinum, between thoracic vertebrae 3 and 8, with the apex toward the sternum.
- Layer
- Organs
- System
- Cardiovascular system
- Region
- Thorax
What it is and what it does
On a lateral radiograph, the dog's heart usually lies between thoracic vertebrae 3 and 8, with the middle of its base at the level of the carina, near the 5th-6th intercostal space, and with the apex resting on the sternum. It measures 2.5-3.5 intercostal spaces: closer to 2.5 in deep-chested dogs, to 3.5 in broad-chested ones. It is wrapped in the pericardium.
Vertebral heart score (VHS): the length and width of the heart are transposed onto the spine starting from T4; in 100 healthy dogs the sum was 9.7 ± 0.5 vertebrae (Buchanan & Bücheler, 1995).
The pericardium has a fibrous layer and a serous layer (parietal and visceral, the epicardium); the phrenicopericardiac ligament ties it to the diaphragm.
Worth remembering
It is wrapped in a sac called the pericardium.
Names
- Also called: cor.
- Latin term: cor.
- In Romanian: Inima (Romanian page).
In the atlas lessons
The organs: where they sit, from neck to pelvis (5 min):
The thorax: the heart sits between thoracic vertebrae 3 and 8, with its base at the level of the carina (where the trachea forks) and its apex on the sternum; the lungs fill the rest, up to the dome of the diaphragm.
Questions from the atlas
"Find it on the drawing" questions whose answer is this structure; in the atlas you will find them in the question bank and in the lessons.
- Show the heart on the drawing. (level 1)