Human Cadaver Heart - Cartoon Diagram

Brachiocephalic trunk artery is ALWAYS the first branch off the ascending Aorta in any mammalian species (Sheep, Cat, Human). The Brachiocephalic trunk artery sends a branch into the upper arm ("brachi") and several branches into the head ("ceph"). Useful link to a simple but complete schematic of the human heart upper major arteries.

Cat Veins - Cartoon Diagram

Upper Thoracic Cavity:

Note: Internal Jugular veins are not visible on all cat cadavers. Subscapular vein is usually partially visible on the superficial anterior surface of a dissected cat, then dips into deeper layers toward the scapula.

Abdomen & Lower Extremities:

Memory ideas: (1) Gastrosplenic vein "runs with" the Celiac artery in the abdomen. (2) For the Prof's test, we are expected to identify the Hepatic Portal vein simply as the anastomosis (thickened joining) of the Gastrosplenic vein and the Superior Mesenteric vein. (3) Portal veins  (i.e. Hepatic Portal vein, Gastrosplenic vein, Superior and Inferior Mesenteric veins ) are usually stained bright yellow in the cat. (4) Proximal Caudofemoral vein and artery both "run" toward the Semitendinosus muscle of the cat.

Cat Arteries - Cartoon Diagrams

Upper Thoracic Cavity:

Abdomen & Lower Extremities:

Notes: (1) Popliteal artery tends to dip down very abruptly (deep into the muscle toward the back of the cat's "knee").

Veins of the Cat - Donkey J. Meowmers, Guest kitty, Prof cat

Superior Vena Cava (2 different cats, anterior views):

DJM

Guest kitty

Brachiocephalic vein (branches DIRECTLY off Superior Vena Cava "stem", anterior view):

Right and Left Brachiocephalic veins, respectively; DJM

Right and Left Brachiocephalic veins, respectively; Guest kitty

Subclavian vein (continuous with Brachiocephalic vein, i.e. "becomes" Subclavian vein; anterior view):

Left Subclavian vein, Guest kitty

 Subscapular vein (deep/medial to Subclavian vein, anterior view):

Left Subscapular vein, Guest kitty

Axillary vein (continuous with Subscapular vein, i.e. "becomes" Axillary vein; anterior view):

Left Axillary vein, Guest kitty

Brachial vein (continuous with Axillary vein, i.e. "becomes" Brachial vein, anterior view):

Left Brachial vein, Guest kitty

External Jugular vein (anterior view):

Left Jugular vein, prior to further dissection; DJM

Left Jugular vein, post-dissection; DJM

Left Jugular vein; Guest kitty

Internal Jugular vein (not visible on DJM specimen):

Pulmonary vein (Right lung):

Guest Kitty

Inferior Vena Cava (anterior view):

Hepatic Portal vein (does NOT branch off Inferior Vena Cava; instead, it's a vessel formed by the joining of capillaries/venules of digestive organs that transport blood, via the Hepatic Portal vein, into the liver):

Hepatic Portal vein (Left side of Cat); the "stem", moves blood TOWARD the liver (NOT TOWARD the heart; this is an exception to the rule of "all veins move blood toward to the heart"), formed by the UNION (anastomosis) of 2 veins: (1) gastrosplenic vein ("superior"/lateral vein), (2) superior mesenteric vein ("inferior" vein); Hepatic Portal vein stains yellow; DJM

(1) Gastrosplenic vein (anastomoses to form Hepatic Portal vein, anterior view):

Gastrosplenic vein (upper/"superior"/lateral vein) "anastomoses" with Superior Mesenteric vein (Left side of Cat); stains yellow; Gastrosplenic vein tends to "run" with the Celiac Trunk artery; DJM

(2) Superior Mesenteric vein (anastomoses to form Hepatic Portal vein, anterior view):

Superior Mesenteric vein (lower/"inferior" vein) "anastomoses" with Gastrosplenic vein (Left side of Cat); stains yellow; DJM

Inferior Mesenteric vein (anterior view):

Inferior Mesenteric vein normally stains BRIGHT YELLOW and runs alongside the large intestine/colon; DJM (cat did not stain with latex very well).

Renal Vein (anterior view):

Left Renal Vein; Renal veins are SUPER THICK and stain blue; each comes from a kidney; DJM

(i) Common Iliac vein (1st major vein, top-to-bottom, that is continuous with the Inferior Vena Cava, anterior view):

The probe (not the forceps) is pointing to the Common Iliac vein (near the cat's groin); Common Iliac vein has 2 branches: (a) Internal Iliac vein, (b) External Iliac vein; DJM

(a) Internal Iliac vein (branches DIRECTLY off Common Iliac vein, 2 anterior views):

The probe (not the forceps) is pointing to the Internal Iliac vein; DJM

Both probes are pointing to the Internal Iliac vein; DJM

(b) External Iliac vein (branches DIRECTLY off Common Iliac vein, anterior view):

The probe on the LEFT is pointing to the External Iliac vein; the probe on the RIGHT is pointing to the Internal Iliac vein for ease of reference; DJM

(ii) Femoral vein (2nd major vein, top-to-bottom, that is continuous with the Inferior Vena Cava, anterior view):

DJM

(iii) Popliteal vein (3rd major vein, top-to-bottom, that is continuous with the Inferior Vena Cava, anterior view):

The probe on the RIGHT in pointing to the Popliteal VEIN; the probe on the LEFT is pointing to the Popliteal ARTERY for ease of reference.

 
Great Saphenous vein (anterior view):

"Blown" Great Saphenous vein on the Professor's cat.

Proximal Caudofemoral vein: picture not available.




Azygos vein:

The Azygous vein, which drains into the Superior Vena cava, is found on the right side of the cat. The probe is pointing to the Azygous vein in this specimen, which is (unfortunately) not well exposed; Guest cat.

Arteries of the Cat - Donkey J. Meowmers, Prof cat

Cat Heart (general, anterior view):

Thymus gland (reduced because cat is an adult, anterior view):

Coronary arteries:

Coronary arteries are the the little pink-stained vessels on the surface of the heart; they provide the oxygenated blood supply for the cardiac muscle of the heart.

Pulmonary Trunk Artery:

Pulmonary Trunk Artery is the first vessel on the top, anterior surface of the cat heart.

 


































Ascending Aorta/Aortic Arch:

The Ascending Aorta branches into 2 separate arteries (from Anatomical right to left): (1) Brachiocephalic Trunk Artery and (2) Left Subclavian artery.

Brachiocephalic Trunk Artery:

Brachiocephalic Trunk Artery has 3 distinct branches: (1) Right Subclavian artery, (2) Right Common Carotid artery, and (3) Left Common Carotid artery.

1. Right Subclavian artery (1st branch off Brachiocephalic Trunk Artery):

2 & 3.  Right and Left Common Carotid Arteries (2nd and 3rd branches off Brachiocephalic Trunk Artery):

Right Axillary artery:

Left Subclavian artery (branches directly off Ascending Aorta):

Left Axillary artery:

Left Brachial artery:

Prof cat specimen

Left Subscapular artery:

Prof cat specimen

Descending Aorta:

Celiac Trunk Artery:

Superior Mesenteric artery:

Renal artery:

Inferior Mesenteric artery:

External Iliac arteries (Right & Left):

Probe is pointing to the Left External Iliac artery.

Internal Iliac arteries (Right & Left):

Right and Left Internal Iliac arteries are shown here.

Femoral artery:

Probe is pointing to the Left Femoral artery of the cat's thigh.

Proximal Caudofemoral artery:

Probe is holding the cut remnants of the Left Proximal Caudofemoral artery.

Saphenous artery:

Probe indicates the remnant of the Left Saphenous artery (cut) on this cat specimen's thigh.

Popliteal artery:

Probe is pointing to the Left Popliteal artery, which "dives down" from the anterior surface of the thigh to the back of the cat' s left knee.