DIGITAL ARTERIES. 417 



DIGITAL ARTERIES. 



The digital arteries, which are alike in the fore and hind 

 limbs, originate at an acute angle below the bifurcation of the 

 suspensory ligament, in front of the flexor tendons, passing over 

 the inner and outer sides of the fetlock joint, accompanied by- 

 satellite veins and nerves ; the artery being central, and the 

 nerve posterior. Each runs down the side of the digit, inside 

 the lateral cartilage, to the superior border of the ala of the os 

 pedis, thence they reach the tendinous surface of the bone, 

 terminating at the plantar foramina, on either side of the 

 insertion of the flexor pedis perforans. They supply numerous 

 twigs, to the flexor and extensor tendons, fetlock pad and joint, 

 and give off" the following branches, which are usually regarded 

 as the arteries of the foot : — 



Perpendicular. 1 Artery of the Frog. 



Transverse. | Pieplantar ungual. 



Plantar ungual. 



The Perpendicular artery, which arises at right angles, below 

 the middle of the os suffraginis, descends on the side of the digit, 

 inclining forwards, and terminates above the coronary ligament by 

 anastomosing with its fellow, their union forming the siiperficial 

 coronary arch, whence spring about twenty branchlets, which 

 descend to the coronary substance. 



The Transverse artery, given off" under the lateral cartilage, 

 passes forwards between the front of the bone and the extensor 

 tendon, and inosculates with its fellow, forming a second arch — 

 the deep coronary arch (superior coronary circle), from which 

 spring several branches to the neighbouring parts, some passing 

 on to the superficial coronary arch ; a second branch inosculates 

 with its fellow posteriorly just above the navicular bone. 



The Artery of the Frog arises behind the .pastern joint at 

 the superior part of the lateral cartilage, entering the sensitive 

 frog. It divides into anterior and posterior; the latter also 

 assists in supplying the lateral cartilage. 



The Preplantar ungual, or Lateral lasiinal, given off" at 

 the posterior aspect of the ala of the distal phalanx, passes 

 through the notch and foramen between the retrossal and basilar 

 processes, and along the preplantar groove in the wall of the 

 bone, at the anterior extremity of which it terminates by several 

 branches, which enter the pedal bone, and anastomose with the 



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