Links
Recommended resources for veterinary and animal science

Anatomy and Physiology

This page includes sites of a general nature including information about more than one species or resources about humans for use in comparative study. For species specific anatomy and physiology information please go to the section on the specific animals pages using the links below.

Species specific resources on other pages:

Cats | Cattle: beef and dairy | Dogs | Horses | Pigs | Poultry | Primates | Sheep

Non species specific resources:

University of Sydney Library Catalogue
Some examples of recommended subject headings on the University of Sydney Library Catalogue appear below. This list is not exhaustive, please check specific species headings and all related headings for comprehensive results.

• veterinary physiology
• veterinary anatomy
• livestock metabolism
• animal mechanics
• animal locomotion
• skeleton.
• bones and bone
• muscles and related headings

CALnet Programmes for Veterinary Science Students
Published by the University of Bristol and University College Dublin. A collection of web based tutorials and clinical case studies covering mainly first and second year BVSc anatomy. The tutorials include images, detailed diagrams, notes and questions. The site also features skeletal specimens and pots from the veterinary museum.

Web-Based Veterinary Anatomy Instruction
Created by the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota. The site features images, descriptions, and animations. The site is divided into sections on veterinary gross anatomy, veterinary neurobiology, and veterinary organology. It also features a slide presentation from the Veterinary Anatomy Museum at the University of Minnesota.

Hill's Atlas of Veterinary Clinical Anatomy
Online atlas published by Hill's Pet Nutrition. A collection of detailed, labeled colour images. The atlas is divided into sections on cardiovascular, lymphatic, digestive integumentary, musculoskeletal, respiratory, and urogenital systems, special senses, and parasite life cycles.

Zoo Test: A self-testing website for animal biology
Created by Rick Gillis and Roger J. Haro from the Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin, Zoo Test was developed as a study guide for animal biology students at the University. There are three self-tests present on the site. They include a variety of images of animal cells, tissues, and structures. Organisms covered by the tests range from protozoa to vertebrates. For each image a number of questions are asked and the Answers can be also be viewed.

VAn 308-Functional Anatomy
This Web site contains course notes for VAn 308-Functional Anatomy taught at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Washington. It contains detailed images of muscles, nerves and bones as well as explanatory notes and labels.

Digital Morphology
Digital Morphology, part of the National Science Foundation Digital Libraries Initiative, develops and serves unique 2D and 3D visualizations of the internal and external structure of living and extinct vertebrates, and a growing number of invertebrates. The site features images of a vast collection species.

Pathophysiology of the digestive system
Hypertextbook authored by Laura Austgen, R. A. Bowen, and Melissa Rouge and published by Colorado State University. Chapter titles include: A voyage through the digestive tract and Digestive physiology of different species. The book is a work in progress and being regularly updated.

Pathophysiology of the endocrine system
Hypertextbook authored by Laura Austgen, R. A. Bowen, and Melissa Rouge and published by Colorado State University. Chapter titles include: Fundamental concepts in endocrinology, A tour of the endocrine system, and Endocrine regulation of physiologic processes. The book is a work in progress and being regularly updated.

Comparative Mammalian Brain Collections
Provided by the University of Wisconsin, Michigan State University and The National Museum of Health and Medicine. This site features brain images from over 175 mammal species. There are also sections on the evolution of the brain, its structure and functions, brain section production and brain atlas creation.

Mammal Anatomy
Part of Animal Diversity Web (ADW) is an online database of animal natural history, distribution, classification, and conservation biology at the University of Michigan. Includes explanatory notes and images.

Histology
Part of the Computer Aided Learning website hosted by the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. The site features a collection of slides with brief descriptions.

Visionary
Visionary is an online dictionary of terminology used in the human and animal ophthalmology and vision studies. It is written and maintained by Dr. Lars Liden of the Department of Cognitive and Neural Systems, Boston University. The site is searched alphabetically and entries are well cross-referenced. There is also a page of links to other vision-related websites.

Skeleton

Textbook of small animal orthopaedics
The "Textbook of Small Animal Orthopaedics" was written by Charles D. Newton, D.V.M., M.S. and David M. Nunamaker, V.M.D and published by J.B. Lippincott Company in 1985. This electronic publication is a Computer Aided Learning (CAL) project of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine. Subjects covered include anatomy, diagnosis, fractures and dislocations, surgery, diseases, neoplasia and gait.

Will's Skull Page
A comprehensive site created by Will Higgs to document his extensive collection of skulls. Species are listed in both alphabetical and taxonomic order for easy navigation with details and photographs of skull morphology given for each species. There is also a glossary, web links and detailed information on the preparation and preservation of animal skulls.

Skulls
This website is published by the California Academy of Sciences. It features information on skull structure and function, skull diversity, and the living tissue associated with bones as well as a large collection of images. Some of the images that can be rotated to allow 360 degree views require the use of Quicktime. It is downloadable from the site.

Master muscle list
This Web site, created by the Layola University Medical Education Network, provides information on the origin, insertion, nerve supply and action of any given muscle of the human anatomy. Muscles are listed alphabetically and by region and a diagram along with functional information is given for each muscle.

Muscle spindle and stretch reflexes
From the Division of Physiology at King's College London comes this overview of the structure and functions of muscle reflexes complete with detailed images and graphs.

Muscle physiology
This is the website of the Muscle Physiology Lab at the University of California, San Diego. The site features pages discussing the design and plasticity of the neuromuscular system and includes diagrams and photographs.

Exercise physiology of muscle contractions
This website was written for the Davidson College Biology Department. It covers sections on 'general muscle structure', 'how action potentials affect muscle contractions', 'what is essential for a muscle contraction?', 'what creates muscle bulges?', 'what is the ratchet effect?', 'what happens when you lift weights?' and 'why do muscles get tired'. Included on the site are references to articles and other muscle websites.

Cardiology

The Visible Heart
This website is an interactive educational site jointly developed and maintained by the University of Minnesota and Medtronic, Inc. It is an educational tool for observing how a real heart works from within. Users can observe a beating heart, all the valve actions, the contractions of atria and ventricles, and the architecture of the heart as it beats.

Case studies in small animal cardiovascular medicine
This site is an excellent learning tool for veterinary students and for the continuing medical education of companion animal practitioners. It is compiled and updated by Mark D. Kittleson, Professor of Cardiology, School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California-Davis. Students can access case studies for a variety of conditions such as pleural fluid, heart murmur and cyanosis. Full case study notes cover the pertinent history of the animal, the physical examination, problems and laboratory work results. There are links to the actual radiography, ECG and other tests that were used in the diagnosis. The student can then submit their own diagnoses and this enables them to have access to follow-up information, including therapy if applicable.

Veterinary clinical cardiology
Created by Dr. Michael R. O'Grady, DVM, MSc, Diplomate ACVIM (Cardiology) and Dr. M. Lynne O'Sullivan, DVM, DVSc, Diplomate ACVIM (Cardiology). The site is primarily intended to provide educational material for veterinary students and practitioners in the area of cardiology. There is a cardiology concepts section covering cardiovascular anatomy and physiology as well as several case studies. Users can view radiographs, ultrasounds and ECG traces, and listen to heart sounds in order to gain an appreciation for both normal and specific disease conditions.

Large animal cardiology
Part of the Computer Aided Learning website at the the University of Pennsylvania. The site includes equine and bovine normals and interactive ECG tutorials. The case studies combine cardiac examination and auscultation findings with the real-time echocardiograph examination, electrocardiographic examination and post mortem findings, where appropriate. The student is thus provided with the complete picture of the large animal normal heart and common pathology found in large animals.

Small animal cardiology
Part of the Computer Aided Learning website at the the University of Pennsylvania. The site is an interactive cardiology computer tutorial. Users can work through the cases or review selected clinical skills.

Small animal cardiac surgery
Part of the Computer Aided Learning website at the the University of Pennsylvania. The site covers the surgical treatment of common cardiac defects and aims to help students understand and review the procedures involved in surgically treating these conditions.

Dissecting a porcine heart
Created by the The Heart Valve Lab at the University of Western Ontario. The site gives practical instructions on dissection together with accompanying images.

Dissection guides

Abdomen and pelvis dissection guides
Part of the Web-Based Veterinary Anatomy Instruction website created by the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota. Consists of diagrams, video and review questions.

Zoology 225 Video Dissection Guide
Web pages and multi-media presentations of cat dissection created by the University of Alberta, Canada to supplement the Zoology 225 course. The video presentations require the installation of Quicktime software. This can be freely downloaded from the site.

Carnivore dissection
Collection of 25 lab introductions published by the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine for the Veterinary Gross Anatomy course. Each lab consists of lab objectives, anatomical terms, instructor commentary, and dissection images.

Veterinary dissection images
A collection of 115 Veterinary dissection images published by the Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University College Dublin.

Virtual cat dissection
Website created by Pennsylvania State University. The site consists of a collection of labelled images and features sections on the external anatomy, the skeletal system, muscular system, respiratory system, digestive system, urogenital system, circulatory system, and nervous system.

Virtual pig dissection
Resource created by Earl W. Fleck, Ph.D. and hosted by Whitman College, Washington. the site consists of images and quizzes and is divided into sections on the digestive, excretory, circulatory, reproductive, respiratory, and nervous systems. Macromedia Shockwave is required to view the images. This is freely downloadable from the site.

The virtual pig dissection.
Published by Steve Michaud, this is a virtual dissection of a pig. It is illustrated with line diagrams, each with an accompanying brief discussion of the anatomical section pictured. The dissection is divided into: external anatomy, respiratory system, circulatory system, digestive system, male reproductive system, and female reproductive system.

Dissection of the sheep brain
Published by the Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, University of Scranton. The site consists of a collection of labeled dissection images together with detailed instructions.

Human anatomy

Arnold's Glossary of Anatomy
Compiled by Dr. M. A. (Toby) Arnold with modifications and additions by Deborah Bryce and published by the Department of Anatomy and Histology at The University of Sydney.

Wilson Henle Museum of Anatomy & Histology Online
Published by the Department of Anatomy and Histology at The University of Sydney. Consists of two separate collections, the Wilson Museum of Anatomy and the Henle Histological Collection. Access available only to University of Sydney students and staff. Users can gain access using UniKey login.

Gray's Anatomy
A full-text online version of Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (20th ed). Published online by Bartleby.com. A keyword search function is available.

Human anatomy online
Published by MyHealthScore.com, a division of INTELLIMED International, Corporation. The site is divided into physiological systems and features diagrams, animations, tutorials, and descriptions.

The Visible Human Project
Published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. It is the creation of complete, anatomically detailed, three-dimensional representations of the normal male and female human bodies.

The Living Skeleton: a Tour of Human Bones
This Web site created by Carolyn Csongradi for the Access Excellence Resource Center is an atlas of the human skeleton designed as an educational tool. It contains labeled and unlabeled photographs and x-rays of normal fractured and diseased human bones

Thermoregulation

Slumbering squirrels "system check " revealed
Published as a news item by NewScientist.com this is a summary of an article by Brian J. Prendergrast et al. originally published as Periodic arousal from hibernation is necessary for initiation of immune responses in ground squirrels in American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology. Vol. 282, Issue 4, April 2002. It discusses how some mammals regularly wake up during hibernation to kick-start their immune systems.

The trail in winter: Hibernation
This web page is part of the The Virtual Nature Trail at Penn State New Kensington. It provides a basic introduction to hibernation and hibernating animals.

Cold comfort
Published as a news item by NewScientist.com this is a summary of an article by Nabil A. Azzam et al. originally published as Membrane changes during hibernation in Nature vol. 407 no. 6802 September 21, 2000. It discusses structural changes that occur in cell membranes during hibernation.

Cutting edge
Published as a news item by NewScientist.com this is a summary of an article by Zhe-Xi Luo et al. originally published as Dual origin of tribosphenic mammals in Nature vol. 409 no. 6816 January 4, 2001. It discusses the relationship between the evolution of molar teeth and the need to eat enough to stay warm.

ThinkQuest: Hibernation
Website published by ThinkQuest, an an educational website contest for children. Although aimed at children the site contains useful and concise information for various cold and warm blooded hibernating species as well as links to other related sites.

Gene study of hibernation may aid organ transplants, hypothermia
This North Carolina State University news release reports on research by Dr. Matthew Andrews and his team into which genes control the onset of hibernation in Autumn and its reversal in Spring. The research on which this article is based was originally published as Matthew T. Andrews et al Low-temperature carbon utilization is regulated by novel gene activity in the heart of a hibernating mammal in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 1998; 95: 8756-8760.

Chilled brains: Hibernating animals may hold clues to novel stroke treatments
Article by John Travis published by Science News Online on December 6 1997. Reports on how studies of how hibernating animals brains survive the rigours of hibernation could be useful to research into new ways of treating strokes.

The Why Files: Hibernation
Published on the The Why Files website, a project of the University of Wisconsin. Looks at the biology of hibernation and the applications of new insights into hibernation for research into stroke and organ transplants.

Hypothermia and hypoxia inhibit the Hering-Breüer reflex in the marsupial newborn
Article by P. M. MacFarlane and P. B. Frappell of the Department of Zoology, La Trobe University and published in American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 286: R857-R864, 2004. Discusses the effects of lowering body temperature on metabolic rate, ventilation, and the strength of the Hering-Breüer expiratory promoting reflex during normoxia or hypoxia.

Hypothermia in animals
Article by Jagdeesh S. Tuli B.V.Sc., M.V.Sc., Ph.D. published by hypothermia.com. The article gives practical advice on the examination, management and rewarming of the hypothermic animal.

Hypothermia and frostbite
Very brief article by Dr. Charles L. Stoltenow, Extension Veterinarian with the North Dakota State University Extension Service give practical advice on the prevention and treatment of hyperthermia.

The Effects of Cold Stress on Cattle
Brief article by Sam Barringer, D.V.M. of the West Virginia University Extension Service looks at hypothermia and other dangers associated wit extreme weather.

Enhancement of cold tolerance in animals
Extract from the electronic book, Nutritional needs in cold and high-altitude environments: applications for military personnel in field operations edited by Bernadette M. Marriott and Sydne J. Carlson (Institute of Medicine) and published by the National Academies Press in 1996.

Energy expenditure
Lecture notes by Dr David Hanes of the Department of Biology, Sonoma State University for the course, Biology 324 Animal Physiology.

Research databases and indexes

Recommended research databases and indexes for this area of study are: Agricola, CAB Abstracts, MEDLINE, BIOSIS Previews and Web of Science.