About This
Veterinary Anatomy Web Site

This Minnesota Veterinary Anatomy website is an umbrella site that provides access to individual courseware web sites/apps and other teaching resources. Additions & changes that have been made to the web site are listed chonologically in the log shown below.

Subject matter includes carnivore (dog & cat) anatomy, ungulate anatomy, developmental anatomy (embryology), veterinary neuroanatomy, and medical imaging anatomy (MRI & CT). In addition to web site/app URLs, links to pertinent PDF files (gross anatomy terms; embryology class notes) are included. The PDF documents can be downloaded and viewed off-line.

Although our courseware was developed for veterinary students at the University of Minnesota, others are free to use the materials for educational purposes. The Minnesota College of Veternary Medicine offers the courseware freely to the international community. We wish to promote inter-institutional sharing of veterinary instructional resources.

Via Google Analytics, we track homepage visits to the individuaal web apps/sites within the Minnesota Veterinary Anatomy umbrella. Last year (2021) the home pages received 200,843 visits (Google Analytics sessions) from 186 countries/territories (view report). We welcome communications from you. Please submit comments, error reports, or questions to: Tom Fletcher ().

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Log of recent changes and courseware additions:

April 2021: MRI Regional Quiz Puzzles
— This web app invites students to regard MRI quizzes as puzzles to be solved.
A red line connects correct choices and the percent-correct score decreases
when a wrong choice is made.

March 2021: NOTE. This website no longer requires the Adobe Flash plug-in.
— All Flash content has been converted to HTML5 web apps.

March 2021: Cranial Nerves - Animated Quizzes
— Flash plug-in components were eliminated to facilitate iPad use. The web app
presents animated quizzes for names, innervation targets, & fiber-types.

February 2021: Cranial Nerve Nuclei - Animated Quizzes
— Flash plug-in components were eliminated to facilitate iPad use. The web app
animates cranial nuclei names, fiber-types, innervation, etc. quizzes.

January 2021: Ungulate Dissection & Tutorial Videos
— presents a menu of YouTube pony & calf dissection videos, along with
anatomy tutorial videos utilizing skeletal and museum preparations.

April 2020: Clinical Neuroanatomy Guide
— presents clinical neuroanatomy and regional syndromes pertient to the
neurological exam, all concisely accessible within a single web page.

April 2020: Cranial Nerves & Cranial Nerve Nuclei
— Flash plug-in components were eliminated to facilitate iPad use.
The web app relates cranial nuclei, fiber-type & nerves to innervation.

February 2020: Autonomic Nervous System
— Flash plug-in components were eliminated and replaced by SVG graphics.
The tutorial animates visceral efferent pathways to regional viscera.

September 2019: Designed For Running
— presents adaptations for running in ungulate & carnivore quadrupeds,
contrasting compromises imposed by diet (herbivore vs. carnivore).

July 2019: Veterinary Anatomy Museum & Equine Head Quiz
— courseware sites were revised to facilitate tablet use; also, appearance
features were improved.

June 2019: Carnivore Muscle Quiz & Brain Gross Anatomy Images
— appearance features were upgraded for the above courseware; as well,
features were improved for a number of additional courseware sites.

July 2018: Carnivore Lower Urinary Tract
— the Flash plug-in was eliminated for Knowledge Self-Assessment.

July 2018: Canine Head MRI Atlases
— the Flash plug-in requirement was eliminated to facilitate iPad use.

March 2018: Images were added to courseware description pages.

February 2018: Brain MRI Anatomy Self-Assessment
— the Flash plug-in requirement was eliminated to facilitate iPad use.

February 2018: Canine Brain In Situ MRI Atlas
— the Flash plug-in requirement was eliminated to facilitate iPad use.

January 2018: Canine Brain MRI Transverse Plane Atlas
— the Flash plug-in requirement was eliminated to facilitate iPad use.

November 2017: Veterinary Neurobiology Concepts Checker
— the Flash plug-in requirement was eliminated to facilitate iPad use.

November 2017: Veterinary Anatomy Concepts Checker
— the Flash plug-in requirement was eliminated to facilitate iPad use.

August 2017: Revised the Home Page, to make content more accessible.

February 2017: Developmental Anatomy: Outlines & Self-Assessment
— (offers another perspective & opportunity to self-assess embryology knowledge)
The Flash plug-in requirement was eliminated to facilitate iPad/iPhone use.

September 2016: Carnivore Muscle Identification: Self-Assessment Quiz
— (per dog/cat region, students repeatedly identify a randomly selected muscle)
The Flash plug-in requirement was eliminated to facilitate iPad/iPhone use.

June 2016: Equine Head Quiz
— slide show of skull & head features labeled on images from publications by P.
Popesko; this self-assessment "quiz" was compiled by a veterinary student.

June 2016: Canine Head Transections (MRI & CT Slide Show)
— a slide show of synced MRI and CT axial (transverse) images through the head,
to explore planar head anatomy thoroughly & compare MRI vs CT views.

May 2016: Canine Brain Sections Tutor
— twelve brain transections each presenting structures & terms linked by color.
A Quiz Mode that presents unlimited random questions.

December 2015: Carnivore Dissection Lab Introductions
— dog & cat dissections videos were added to each Dissection Lab.
A total of 50 mp4 video clips, each about 10 minutes, were added.

July 2015: Veterinary Developmental Anomalies
— presents a collection of veterinary developmental anomaly images organized by
system and by region. Captions and commentaries are included.

May 2015: Canine MRI Atlas
— MRI labeled images of head, neck, thorax, abdomen, & pelvis in transverse,
sagittal & dorsal planes. Features single-key navigation.

May 2015: Canine Regional Planar Anatomy Quizzes
— enables students to explore canine planar anatomy in Quiz & Atlas modes
MRI, CT & cadaver-slabs are shown in transverse, dorsal & sagittal planes

May 2015: Planar (MRI & CT) Anatomy Courseware
— added a planar anatomy section to the Minnesota Veterinary Aantomy web site

September 2014: Neuroanatomy Lab Tutorials
— tutorials, corresponding to topics in a veterinary Neuroanatomy Lab, can be used
to complement or substitute for a Lab Manual. (topics under development)

April 2014: Ungulate Anatomy Courseware
— added a Home Page link to a new Ungulate Anatomy courseware section that
presents objectives, terms, commentary & images for 20 dissection labs.

March 2014: Lower Urinary Tract Applied Anatomy Page
— developed for clinical Residents interested in reviewing applied anatomy, the
page links to resources & images used in an interactive presentation.

October 2013: Interactive Neuroanatomy Quiz
— enables students to self-evaluate neuroanatomy knowledge by interactively
dragging or sequentially clicking/tapping to evoke visual results.

September 2013: Spinal Cord - Discussion Questions
— presents random Spinal Cord questions intended for group discussion. The Group
develops a consensus answer, then compares it to an instructor's answer.

September 2013: Embryology Courseware Online
— this web page explains our organization of web resources for online learning
(We now teach Embryology online instead of by lecture presentations.)

August 2013: Embryology Core Questions
— this computer & mobile web app presents core questions for 11 topics. Students
use mouse/spacebar to reveal short & detailed answers by instructor.

May 2013: Core Questions: Lower Urinary Tract
— this computer & mobile web app presents core questions. Students are expected
to ponder answers before revealing short & detailed answers by instructors.

May 2013: Vestibular Animations
— animations depict balanced vestibular nerve input and imbalances produced by
head acceleration and destructive lesions; background explanations included.

April 2013: Anatomy Directions, Planes, and Muscle/Joint Actions
— new descriptions of directional terms, anatomical planes, & muscle/joint actions;
animations were revised for mobile device access (eliminated Flash Player).

February 2013: Veterinary Urinalysis Interpretation Quiz
— smart phone web app intended for veterinary students to self-assess their ability
to correctly interpret canine and feline urinalysis results.

January 2013: Content Map & Site Map
— web site URLs outlined according to content or by site location (Home Page link)

December 2012: Canine Brain Atlas
— twelve transverse levels through a dog brain accompanied by a Glossary-Index;
labels may be toggled and levels navigated via key strokes.

November 2012: Courseware Recommendations for Clinics
— a page listing links to clinically pertinent courseware was added to home page

October 2012: PNS Highlights Video Screencasts
— narrated synopses of the carnivore Peripheral Nervous System are presented as
QuickTime video clips (includes spinal, cranial & autonomic nerves).

September 2012: mobile Mitosis-Meiosis Review
— smart phone web app intended for veterinary students: reviews how meiosis gives
rise to unique haploid gametes & mitosis produces identical daughter cells.

August 2012: mobile Canine Gaits
— smart phone web app intended to facilitate recognition of quadruped gaits and
foot-fall patterns in preparation for diagnosing gait abnormalities.

June 2012: Added pop-up Quick Links to courseware category pages

May 2012: Applied Anat. & Physiol. of Dog & Cat Lower Urinary Tract
— is available as both an eBook and a PDF document.

May 2012: Embryology Highlights Screencasts — smartphone web app.
— an online embryology course presented through narrated screencasts
is re-designed for smartphones.

May 2012: mobile MRI Brain Atlas
— a web app intended for veterinary students and radiologists who want quick
access to canine brain MRI anatomy through a smartphone.

May 2012: Mobile Device Courseware
— added a mobile device page, including a Home Page link to the mobile page,
for the convenience of having mobile URLs in one place. Also a smartphone
web app was added: Veterinary Anatomy Concepts Checker

March 2012: Added a site URL logo; also, re-designed the Home Page

March 2012: Mobile Neurobiology Concepts Checker
— designed for smartphones, this web app is intended for veterinary students
who wish to check conceptual knowledge of Neurobiology. A desktop
version is available: Veterinary Neurobiology Concepts Checker

February 2012: Locate Neurological Lesions Guide
— designed for smartphones, this Guide web app was prepared to aid students
attempting to locate lesions based on neurological signs. The Guide is like
one that is found on: Neurological Lesion Location Exercises

January 2012: Updated Veterinary Neurobiology Concepts Checker
— Also, added a video screencast overview of courseware recommendations
for veterinary students studying neurobiology (view Recommendations).

November 2011: Introduced a Developmental Anatomy section:
— courseware was reorganized into Carnivore Anatomy, Developmental Anatomy,
and Neuroanatomy sections.

October 2011: Embryology Highlights (Screencasts)
— embryology is presented via narrated screen presentations (screencasts); the
series of compact screencasts constitutes an online embryology course.

September 2011: Courseware Recommendations for Anatomy Students
— a Recommendations Overview screencast video is now available; also,
a Web Site Overview screencast has replaced Courses on the Home Page.

July 2011: Autonomic Nervous System
— physiology/pharmacology sections added; this web site presents ANS anatomy,
including animated tutorials and quizzes for learning regional pathways.

June 2011: Eliminated download option for running web sites locally:
— due to bandwidth limitations, our earlier web sites could be downloaded and run
locally. Currently, bandwidth no longer constrains web site performance.

May 2011: Anatomy Directions, Planes, and Muscle/Joint Actions
— web site of directional terms, anatomical planes, and muscle/joint actions
pertinent to veterinary anatomy, including interactive animations & images.

March 2011: Embryology Highlights: Nervous System Development
— web site presenting narrated synopses of neural embryonic development
(created using Camtasia Relay and Media Mill for URL delivery).

January 2011: Veterinary Neurobiology Concepts Checker
— web site focusing on neurobiology concepts, giving students an opportunity
to clarify conceptual understanding via self-assessment screens.

September 2010: Veterinary Anatomy Concepts Checker
— web site focusing on anatomical concepts, giving students an opportunity
to clarify conceptual understanding via self-assessment screens.

September 2010: Recommendations for Anatomy Students
— courseware for veterinary students studying gross anatomy (CVM 6100)

March 2010: Neurological Lesion Location Exercises
— students exercise neuroanatomy knowledge to locate neurological lesions
in clinical case presentations; includes a Lesion Location Guide.

January 2010: Recommendations for Neurobiology Students
— courseware for veterinary students studying neurobiology (CVM 6120)

January 2010: Lab 4: Cranial Nerves
— a graphic tutorial about canine cranial nerves & nuclei:
attachment sites, fiber-types, brainstem sections, & innervation.

October 2009: Carnivore Muscle Identification: Self-Assessment Quiz
— per dog/cat region, students repeatedly identify a randomly selected muscle
by choosing a randomly numbered label on a randomly chosen image

April 2009: Canine Head MRI Atlases
— the canine cranium is presented in transverse, sagittal & dorsal planes
via T2, T1, and proton density weighted MRI images

March 2009: Canine Brain MRI Atlas
—T2, T1, and proton density weighted MRI images are paired with brain
tissue sections; animated self-assessment quizzes are included

February 2009: Carnivore Lower Urinary Tract
— embryology, anatomy & physiology of the lower urinary tract of dog & cat is augmented by clinical cases and self-assessment options

January 2009: Cranial Nerve Nuclei - Animated Quizzes
— uses animation to reinforce knowledge of the names, inversion targets,
and fiber type content of cranial nerve nuclei

November 2008: Developmental Anatomy
— presents Subject Outlines & Knowledge Self-Assessment T/F quizzes
for a dozen embryology subject areas.

February 2008: Cranial Nerves - Animated Quizzes
— uses animation to reinforce knowledge of the names, inversion targets,
and fiber type content of cranial nerves

January 2008: Canine Brain Transections
— added pop-up glossary comments when a Atlas term is clicked

December 2007: Autonomic Nervous System
— replaced the previous ANS courseware;
— pathway tutorials & tracing are finished, physiology will be added

September 2007: Canine Planar Anatomy
— added the capability to show all labels (click "A" on screen or keyboard)

August 2007: Home Page
— reorganized to eliminate HyperCard courseware.

March 2007: Lab 6: Cerebellum
— present cerebellar anatomy and function via diagrams and images.

January 2007: Canine Brain Transections
— presents the anatomy of the canine brain as seen in transverse sections.

October 2006: Canine Planar Anatomy -- on-line images
— cadavers sectioned in transverse, sagittal, and dorsal planes

September 2006: Web Site Now Served from AHC-ISO Servers
— U of MN Academic Health Center Information Systems Office

April 2006: Gaits
— animated cartoons display foot-fall patterns per gait

February 2006: Histology and Organology Lectures Removed
— the lectures will be distributed via course webCT sites

January 2006: Neurobiology Learning Objects
— Pain Pathways Overview (Canine)
— Nociceptor Response: Stimulus Intensity - AP Frequency
— Vestibular Nerves: Bilateral AP Traffic

January 2006: CVM 6120 Neurobiology Labs 2 & 3
— added Lab 2: Spinal Cord Anatomy
— revised Lab 3: Brain Anatomy Introduction

October 2005: Carnivore Anatomy Dissection Lab Introductions
— updated text and images for a number of Labs

May 2005: Veterinary Anatomy Web Site
— added this About . . . page and made esthetic changes

April 2005: Video-clips of Clinical Neurology Cases
— added new web site

January 2005: CVM 6120 Lab 3: Brain Anatomy Introduction
— added new web site