Front Matter

16 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

A simpler way of evaluating humeral length
is to draw a vertical line through the center of
the radius and ulna. This line should intersect
with the dog’s topline at the junction of the
neck and the back. When a dog has a short
humerus, the entire distal limb is positioned
more cranially, resulting in a line that intersects
further cranially along the neck (Figure 1.13).

Dogs with a humerus of the optimal length

have less concussion, particularly on the elbow

joint, and tend to have more well‐developed

biceps and triceps muscles. To the extent that

both scapular angle and humeral length deviate

from ideal, thoracic limb function will be com­

promised. Two dogs with contrasting thoracic

limb structure can be seen in Figure 1.14.

Short humerus

Appropriate

length humerus

(A) (B)

Figure 1.13 In a dog with an appropriate length humerus (A), a vertical line drawn through the radius and ulna
intersects with the dog’s topline near the highest point of the scapula. In a dog with a short humerus (B), that line
intersects with the topline further cranially, along the neck. Source: Illustrations by Marcia Schlehr.

(A)(B)

Figure 1.14 Two dogs with contrasting humeral length: a Pointer with a short humerus (A) and a German Short‐Haired
Pointer with appropriate length of humerus (B). Source: Photos by Steve Surfman.